Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
This is what I believe will be a one-shot. If I come up with enough new thoughts, it may be expanded.
Rain
"Feh, stupid rain," Inuyasha grumbled, squishing along through the mud. "Miroku, you idiot, you said it wasn't going to rain today."
"It wasn't," he protested. "It must have been Naraku's doing."
"Whatever, Inuyasha huffed. "How far to the next village?"
"Too far," Sango moaned. "We'll never make it before nightfall."
"Figures," Inuyasha growled. Normally, he wouldn't be more than upset, but today... Today was different. It was almost winter, and the temperature was barely above freezing. If they didn't find some place they could at least make shelter, the puny humans were in danger of freezing. Correction: would freeze. Miroku and Sango were soaked. Even Kagome, riding on his back under the shelter of her 'umbrella,' was cold. He was worried---not that he intended to let them know, though. "Kagome, don't you have anything in that pack we could use as for protection from this rain?"
"No," she whimpered.
"Feh," Inuyasha muttered, stopping by a patch of bushes. "Stay here. I'm going to scout ahead for shelter." Kagome slid off, and Inuyasha made sure he wrapped them with the top of his fire rat armor. He didn't think it would help much, but it was better than nothing. He sped off, praying he would find some kind of shelter.
To his great relief, he found a rough looking lean-to built into the side of the bluff on the far side of the storm-swollen stream over the first hill. Upon a quick inspection, he found it was about 4m wide by 3m deep, with a roof that sloped down to 2m high right over the door in the front. It was built into the cliff with a crude chimney on the cliff wall. The fireplace was basic with a boom to hang a kettle on. The walls were of rough logs packed with mud, and it had a roughly thatched roof. The door, what there was of it, filled the only opening. The floor was bare. It wasn't a palace, but at least it was dry and stopped most of the wind. It looked like it was built just for travelers such as themselves, but the last occupants had been too lazy to restock the woodpile. Unfortunately, there was no bridge; he would have to carry them over.
"Kagome, grab Shippou and Kirara and climb on. There's a travel shelter just past the next creek. I'll have to carry all of you across because there isn't a bridge," he said hurriedly. If he didn't make this quick... "Kagome, I did a quick check. The lazy moron loser who used the place last didn't bother to restock the wood-pile, so there are only enough sticks to get the fire started. Make sure you don't light it until I find some more wood." He assumed the mumble he heard was a 'yes,' and let it go at that. About a half hour later, after dropping Sango and Miroku off as well, he ran out to look for a dead tree: they needed a fire, soon.
He soon found a dead cedar tree that had yet to fall over. After uprooting it and carrying it back, he hacked it into short pieces and shattered a few on the rocks. He quickly gathered the splintered wood up and carried it inside before it got wet. "Here, start the fire now. I'm going to go get some more so we won't run out," he said, hurrying off again. Since he now had a little more time, he went to break up the big, dead oak he had seen. They certainly wouldn't need anywhere nearly all of it, but he wasn't planning on leaving the hut bare of wood as it was now. A half-hour later, he arrived with the first 10m branch from the tree.
"Wench, get back inside," he yelled at Kagome, dumping the log beside the hut. "How are you ever going to get dry if you keep running around in the rain?"
Kagome glared, waving the kettle menacingly in his direction. "Inuyasha, you jerk, I was just going down to the stream to get some water for supper."
"Yea, and you'd probably fall in, too. Do you have any idea how slippery it is down there? Besides, that water is way too dirty, anyway. Give me the stupid kettle, and I'll get some from the spring I found," he lectured.
Kagome retreated to the hut and meekly held out the kettle. Inu was volunteering to go get clean water?
Inu grabbed the kettle. "Stupid girl anyway. She's already probably going to get sick. I better see if I can catch some food, too," he mumbled to himself.
On the way to get the water, Inu dug a latrine hole and put enough branches around it so it wouldn't be to mucky if the need arose. He also pulled a few 'wild turnips' as he called them. They didn't look like much, but they added vitamins to the game he hoped to catch later. Finally, he washed the worst of the mud off and filled the kettle.
"Here's the water," Inu said without embellishment. "I found these 'wild turnips,' too. They should go well with the game I am planning on catching as soon as I get this wood inside where it can dry. I dug a hole to use for the latrine about 50m around the hill. I better not see any of you outside for any other reason before this rain quits." He then turned around, walked out, and started whacking the log he had up into chunks.
Inside, they all just stood there, stunned. Sango spoke first. "What's the matter with him Kagome? I've never seen him act like this before."
"I don't know," Kagome answered. "I haven't either. Maybe he's just worried---he did seem awfully concerned right before he found this place."
Miroku said, "I'm going to get some of the new firewood so it can dry." He then attempted to head out the door.
"What do you think you're doing, monk," Inu growled. "I thought I just told you to stay inside."
"I was just going to haul some of this wood in so it can dry," he answered.
"Oh, no you're not. I'll bring it in as soon as I'm done breaking it up. You guys can stack it so it can dry off, then," Inu replied, glaring.
"Uh, yea, sure," mumbled Miroku.
After tossing the wood in Inu headed out. "I'm going to try and catch some birds or rabbits. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Unfortunately, the bad weather meant that most of what he was hunting was hiding, too. After a lot of effort, he managed to catch 2 rabbits and 3 birds. It really wasn't any too much, but it would have to do.
"Here, fix these," Inu said, handing the game to Sango.
Kagome swallowed hard. Even for a half demon, Inuyasha looked cold, wet, and miserable. Still, they needed more water, and he wouldn't let them go get it. "Inuyasha, would you please get us another bucket of water? We really need it to finish supper."
"Feh," he grumped, grabbing the bucket from her.
Once again, Kagome was amazed. Since when did he go get more water, even if he had specifically told them not to go outside?
When he got back, Inu wondered if it would have been safer to stay outside: Kagome immediately started fussing with him. "Inuyasha, please put this blanket on and take off you wet clothes so they can dry," she said sweetly.
He was just opening his mouth to object when he saw her glare. "Feh, whatever, wench," he retorted without any passion. She was clearly as set on this as he was on making sure the rest didn't get wet again. He quickly tossed his clothes out where she could grab them and hang them up.
As soon as she had hung his clothes up, cringing like they were going to bite her, she turned to him again. "Please sit over here, Inuyasha," she said cheerfully, patting a spot on the floor near her. "I need to dry your hair and brush it out." Miroku and Sango were doing their best not to laugh, but weren't succeeding very well.
Inuyasha didn't even bother to fight. Of course, he didn't act happy about it, but it wasn't worth getting his face planted in the ground in an effort that would prove futile, anyway. Besides, he did need to dry his hair.
Supper passed uneventfully. Shortly afterward, when things had been cleaned up, Inuyasha again surprised the group by announcing that it was time for bed. "What? Fine with me if you want to freeze. I thought we should sleep close together to keep warm," he said.
Eventually, they settled down. Inuyasha lay down first, followed by Kagome, Sango, and Miroku. Shippou slept with Kagome, and Kirara slept with Sango to make sure nothing got out of hand. Nothing did.
Inuyasha was the first to wake up. He immediately stiffened but soon relaxed as he remembered it was just Kagome and Shippou by him. Still, it wouldn't do to be seen looking too comfortable beside them. He got up to stoke the fire. Feh----it was still raining.
Kagome, with her main source of warmth missing, soon woke up, shaking Shippou awake as well. She giggled when she saw Miroku's arm draped a little too tightly over Sango.
Sango noticed shortly later. "Hentai!" she exclaimed, whapping him. Her punishment, though, appeared to lack heat.
The day went by almost without incident. Inuyasha managed to catch some more game and cut up enough wood to fill both sides of the cabin. Kagome managed to get a little studying done. Sango spent the day cooking, repairing her equipment, and avoiding Miroku's wandering hands. Fortunately, it appeared no one had gotten sick, so they just waited the rain out.
The next day dawned clear and cold, a thick layer of frost covering everything. Inu was again the first one to wake, but this time he didn't get up right away. Instead, he nudged Kagome gently until she woke up, too. They just lay there for a while. Finally, Inuyasha got up. As he had the day before, he quietly stoked the fire.
Kagome carefully wrapped Shippou up and then rose herself. After putting her coat on, she motioned for Inuyasha to be quiet and follow her.
Inuyasha didn't understand, but he followed anyway--it looked harmless enough.
"Let's see what happens when Sango wakes up and she doesn't see anyone watching," Kagome said with a twinkle in her eye. "Kirara," she called. Kirara woke up. "Kirara, wake Sango up, please."
Kirara rubbed Sango until she woke up. Sango immediately stiffened, and glanced quickly about the room. Not seeing anyone, she relaxed.
Kagome and Inuyasha both managed to stifle a laugh. So, Sango wasn't as hostile to the monk as she wanted everyone to think. They crept off a ways and then began to talk loudly as they walked back to the hut. The hunt for the Shikon no Tama was back on.
Author's notes.
The timing of this piece is not very critical. It is good enough to say that they are well into the hunt, but we don't need to know more than that. Usually, the gang has problems from demons of some kind or other. Today, I thought they would just have some trouble with the weather.
I don't yet know much at all about what grows in the wild areas in Japan, so I am guessing. Inuyasha broke some of the cedar up so they would have a quantity of small, dry wood to burn. After that, the rest can dry by the fire. I figured there might be some oak around, too, but that is just a guess. I am also guessing about the food he found or caught, too. Continuing with the guessing theme, I am not familiar with construction techniques in feudal Japan, so I did something that sounded reasonable. Kirara, I am guessing, is some form of fire cat demon. The cold, rainy weather is hurting her more than anyone, so she can't carry anyone like she usually does.
I'm not totally happy with the way the sleeping arrangements, but there really isn't any other way it will work. They will have to sleep close enough together so they don't freeze with all their wet bedding and a cold, drafty shack, but it would surely create, um, complications with their relationships if it continued for too long. We won't deal with that in this piece, though: there is no citrus flavor whatsoever. However, that is not to say that the relationships won't progress, even if there aren't many outward signs.
This is what I believe will be a one-shot. If I come up with enough new thoughts, it may be expanded.
Rain
"Feh, stupid rain," Inuyasha grumbled, squishing along through the mud. "Miroku, you idiot, you said it wasn't going to rain today."
"It wasn't," he protested. "It must have been Naraku's doing."
"Whatever, Inuyasha huffed. "How far to the next village?"
"Too far," Sango moaned. "We'll never make it before nightfall."
"Figures," Inuyasha growled. Normally, he wouldn't be more than upset, but today... Today was different. It was almost winter, and the temperature was barely above freezing. If they didn't find some place they could at least make shelter, the puny humans were in danger of freezing. Correction: would freeze. Miroku and Sango were soaked. Even Kagome, riding on his back under the shelter of her 'umbrella,' was cold. He was worried---not that he intended to let them know, though. "Kagome, don't you have anything in that pack we could use as for protection from this rain?"
"No," she whimpered.
"Feh," Inuyasha muttered, stopping by a patch of bushes. "Stay here. I'm going to scout ahead for shelter." Kagome slid off, and Inuyasha made sure he wrapped them with the top of his fire rat armor. He didn't think it would help much, but it was better than nothing. He sped off, praying he would find some kind of shelter.
To his great relief, he found a rough looking lean-to built into the side of the bluff on the far side of the storm-swollen stream over the first hill. Upon a quick inspection, he found it was about 4m wide by 3m deep, with a roof that sloped down to 2m high right over the door in the front. It was built into the cliff with a crude chimney on the cliff wall. The fireplace was basic with a boom to hang a kettle on. The walls were of rough logs packed with mud, and it had a roughly thatched roof. The door, what there was of it, filled the only opening. The floor was bare. It wasn't a palace, but at least it was dry and stopped most of the wind. It looked like it was built just for travelers such as themselves, but the last occupants had been too lazy to restock the woodpile. Unfortunately, there was no bridge; he would have to carry them over.
"Kagome, grab Shippou and Kirara and climb on. There's a travel shelter just past the next creek. I'll have to carry all of you across because there isn't a bridge," he said hurriedly. If he didn't make this quick... "Kagome, I did a quick check. The lazy moron loser who used the place last didn't bother to restock the wood-pile, so there are only enough sticks to get the fire started. Make sure you don't light it until I find some more wood." He assumed the mumble he heard was a 'yes,' and let it go at that. About a half hour later, after dropping Sango and Miroku off as well, he ran out to look for a dead tree: they needed a fire, soon.
He soon found a dead cedar tree that had yet to fall over. After uprooting it and carrying it back, he hacked it into short pieces and shattered a few on the rocks. He quickly gathered the splintered wood up and carried it inside before it got wet. "Here, start the fire now. I'm going to go get some more so we won't run out," he said, hurrying off again. Since he now had a little more time, he went to break up the big, dead oak he had seen. They certainly wouldn't need anywhere nearly all of it, but he wasn't planning on leaving the hut bare of wood as it was now. A half-hour later, he arrived with the first 10m branch from the tree.
"Wench, get back inside," he yelled at Kagome, dumping the log beside the hut. "How are you ever going to get dry if you keep running around in the rain?"
Kagome glared, waving the kettle menacingly in his direction. "Inuyasha, you jerk, I was just going down to the stream to get some water for supper."
"Yea, and you'd probably fall in, too. Do you have any idea how slippery it is down there? Besides, that water is way too dirty, anyway. Give me the stupid kettle, and I'll get some from the spring I found," he lectured.
Kagome retreated to the hut and meekly held out the kettle. Inu was volunteering to go get clean water?
Inu grabbed the kettle. "Stupid girl anyway. She's already probably going to get sick. I better see if I can catch some food, too," he mumbled to himself.
On the way to get the water, Inu dug a latrine hole and put enough branches around it so it wouldn't be to mucky if the need arose. He also pulled a few 'wild turnips' as he called them. They didn't look like much, but they added vitamins to the game he hoped to catch later. Finally, he washed the worst of the mud off and filled the kettle.
"Here's the water," Inu said without embellishment. "I found these 'wild turnips,' too. They should go well with the game I am planning on catching as soon as I get this wood inside where it can dry. I dug a hole to use for the latrine about 50m around the hill. I better not see any of you outside for any other reason before this rain quits." He then turned around, walked out, and started whacking the log he had up into chunks.
Inside, they all just stood there, stunned. Sango spoke first. "What's the matter with him Kagome? I've never seen him act like this before."
"I don't know," Kagome answered. "I haven't either. Maybe he's just worried---he did seem awfully concerned right before he found this place."
Miroku said, "I'm going to get some of the new firewood so it can dry." He then attempted to head out the door.
"What do you think you're doing, monk," Inu growled. "I thought I just told you to stay inside."
"I was just going to haul some of this wood in so it can dry," he answered.
"Oh, no you're not. I'll bring it in as soon as I'm done breaking it up. You guys can stack it so it can dry off, then," Inu replied, glaring.
"Uh, yea, sure," mumbled Miroku.
After tossing the wood in Inu headed out. "I'm going to try and catch some birds or rabbits. I'll be back as soon as I can."
Unfortunately, the bad weather meant that most of what he was hunting was hiding, too. After a lot of effort, he managed to catch 2 rabbits and 3 birds. It really wasn't any too much, but it would have to do.
"Here, fix these," Inu said, handing the game to Sango.
Kagome swallowed hard. Even for a half demon, Inuyasha looked cold, wet, and miserable. Still, they needed more water, and he wouldn't let them go get it. "Inuyasha, would you please get us another bucket of water? We really need it to finish supper."
"Feh," he grumped, grabbing the bucket from her.
Once again, Kagome was amazed. Since when did he go get more water, even if he had specifically told them not to go outside?
When he got back, Inu wondered if it would have been safer to stay outside: Kagome immediately started fussing with him. "Inuyasha, please put this blanket on and take off you wet clothes so they can dry," she said sweetly.
He was just opening his mouth to object when he saw her glare. "Feh, whatever, wench," he retorted without any passion. She was clearly as set on this as he was on making sure the rest didn't get wet again. He quickly tossed his clothes out where she could grab them and hang them up.
As soon as she had hung his clothes up, cringing like they were going to bite her, she turned to him again. "Please sit over here, Inuyasha," she said cheerfully, patting a spot on the floor near her. "I need to dry your hair and brush it out." Miroku and Sango were doing their best not to laugh, but weren't succeeding very well.
Inuyasha didn't even bother to fight. Of course, he didn't act happy about it, but it wasn't worth getting his face planted in the ground in an effort that would prove futile, anyway. Besides, he did need to dry his hair.
Supper passed uneventfully. Shortly afterward, when things had been cleaned up, Inuyasha again surprised the group by announcing that it was time for bed. "What? Fine with me if you want to freeze. I thought we should sleep close together to keep warm," he said.
Eventually, they settled down. Inuyasha lay down first, followed by Kagome, Sango, and Miroku. Shippou slept with Kagome, and Kirara slept with Sango to make sure nothing got out of hand. Nothing did.
Inuyasha was the first to wake up. He immediately stiffened but soon relaxed as he remembered it was just Kagome and Shippou by him. Still, it wouldn't do to be seen looking too comfortable beside them. He got up to stoke the fire. Feh----it was still raining.
Kagome, with her main source of warmth missing, soon woke up, shaking Shippou awake as well. She giggled when she saw Miroku's arm draped a little too tightly over Sango.
Sango noticed shortly later. "Hentai!" she exclaimed, whapping him. Her punishment, though, appeared to lack heat.
The day went by almost without incident. Inuyasha managed to catch some more game and cut up enough wood to fill both sides of the cabin. Kagome managed to get a little studying done. Sango spent the day cooking, repairing her equipment, and avoiding Miroku's wandering hands. Fortunately, it appeared no one had gotten sick, so they just waited the rain out.
The next day dawned clear and cold, a thick layer of frost covering everything. Inu was again the first one to wake, but this time he didn't get up right away. Instead, he nudged Kagome gently until she woke up, too. They just lay there for a while. Finally, Inuyasha got up. As he had the day before, he quietly stoked the fire.
Kagome carefully wrapped Shippou up and then rose herself. After putting her coat on, she motioned for Inuyasha to be quiet and follow her.
Inuyasha didn't understand, but he followed anyway--it looked harmless enough.
"Let's see what happens when Sango wakes up and she doesn't see anyone watching," Kagome said with a twinkle in her eye. "Kirara," she called. Kirara woke up. "Kirara, wake Sango up, please."
Kirara rubbed Sango until she woke up. Sango immediately stiffened, and glanced quickly about the room. Not seeing anyone, she relaxed.
Kagome and Inuyasha both managed to stifle a laugh. So, Sango wasn't as hostile to the monk as she wanted everyone to think. They crept off a ways and then began to talk loudly as they walked back to the hut. The hunt for the Shikon no Tama was back on.
Author's notes.
The timing of this piece is not very critical. It is good enough to say that they are well into the hunt, but we don't need to know more than that. Usually, the gang has problems from demons of some kind or other. Today, I thought they would just have some trouble with the weather.
I don't yet know much at all about what grows in the wild areas in Japan, so I am guessing. Inuyasha broke some of the cedar up so they would have a quantity of small, dry wood to burn. After that, the rest can dry by the fire. I figured there might be some oak around, too, but that is just a guess. I am also guessing about the food he found or caught, too. Continuing with the guessing theme, I am not familiar with construction techniques in feudal Japan, so I did something that sounded reasonable. Kirara, I am guessing, is some form of fire cat demon. The cold, rainy weather is hurting her more than anyone, so she can't carry anyone like she usually does.
I'm not totally happy with the way the sleeping arrangements, but there really isn't any other way it will work. They will have to sleep close enough together so they don't freeze with all their wet bedding and a cold, drafty shack, but it would surely create, um, complications with their relationships if it continued for too long. We won't deal with that in this piece, though: there is no citrus flavor whatsoever. However, that is not to say that the relationships won't progress, even if there aren't many outward signs.