FROZEN IN FIRE

CHAPTER ONE: Fall into Desperation

"Inuyasha!"

"Kagome … I-I" The Inu-hanyou's sentence faded out and I grabbed his chilled hand in a desperate attempt to calm myself. "What, please what is it you're trying to tell me?"

Inuyasha's amber eyes fluttered opened shortly, a strangely calm expression fixed to his paling face. With a struggle, a small grin became evident before his eyes closed for the final time. Against my will, tears streamed down my face in silence. I looked around me at the desolate territory covered in the blood of my friends.

"Kagome!" A small ball of fur came flying out of the bushes at a fervid speed and collided with my chest. A small pair of hands clamed onto my shirt and the form began to tremble.

Gently wrapping my arms around him, I whispered, "Oh Shippou …" In such a state, there wasn't much else I could say to make him feel any better.

What next came from my mouth sounded right, despite my faltering will to live. "Son."

"Kaa-san! Wake up!" A light weight settled on my stomach. With a struggle I sat up to stare into Shippou's gentle green eyes. A hand came to cover my eyes as I remembered the event that spawned that horrible dream; it had happened a few months ago, yet it still haunted me.

Tapping at my shoulder brought me from my reverie. "Yes, Shippo?"

"Kaede Baa-san asked me to get you. Are you okay? You don't look so well."

I sighed and stood up. "I'm alright. Lets go." I had taken to sleeping in the forest surrounding my village, the huts becoming too enclosed for my liking.

Shippou and I walked into the village, giving brief greetings to the villagers we past. We entered Lady Kaede's hut to the welcoming smell of cooking soup. Kaede gave us a silent greeting before returning to her cooking. I sat down on the opposite side of the withering old woman, Shippou positioned in my lap. All was silent for some odd minutes before Kaede-dono looked up from her food and said, "How have ye been fairing, young one?"

"I am well, Kaede-dono, thank you." I took the cup of soup she offered me and kindly took a sip.

"I have a favour to ask of ye," Kaede looked into the bubbling liquid between us as she spoke. "There is rumour of a plant growing wild in the western lands," A gasp escaped from Shippou but he said nothing more, "and I need it for a new elixir ye may need. Would ye be so kind as to fetch it for me?"

"I'd be glad to." Shippou shifted uncomfortably in my lap and I looked down on him questioningly. "Is there something you'd like to say, Shippou?"

"No ma'am."

"Come now, Shippou, speak up," I coxed to him.

"Well, isn't the western lands … Sesshoumaru's territory?" the kitsune kit asked hesitantly.

I hadn't thought of that, but there was no way I was backing down just because of that spineless demon. "Yes, but he won't harm us."

I could tell that Shippou wasn't all too sure about that, but he didn't protest any further. I took the silence that followed as a sign that the conversation was over and left the hut. The two of us stopped back at our clearing to grab some provisions and my weapons, and then we were off to get the plant for Kaede-dono.

Thankfully, the trip didn't last very long and it was night fall when we entered the forest of my village. Shippou skipped ahead only to come back and repeat himself in excitement. He was glad that the trip hadn't been interrupted. I was in a better mood as well--that is, until Shippou skipped ahead and came back in a rush, tail between his legs and a fearful expression marring his childish face.

"Kaa-san, the village! It's …" Shippou didn't finish is sentence, but pointed above the trees. I lifted my eyes to look and was horrified to see the smoke that was imprinted against the pitch black of the night sky. A bright orange glow lit up the sky in the village's direction and the stench of burning wood permeated the air. Fright took hold of me and I began to run, Shippou's small paws beating the ground next to me. Halfway there, I was met by a hideous demon.

My eyes widened as the large purple, three-eyed demon emerged from the foliage, knurled teeth bared. Upon instinct, my bow was out and I loosed a quick arrow toward the demon's middle eye. It penetrated the skin, yet the demon's rage was only fueled and he lunged. I ducked, but he knocked my bow out of reach. I scrambled for it, as did the demon. Unfortunately, he grabbed and snapped the wooden weapon before I could, then turned toward me and stalked forward. Shippou scrambled to stand in front of me and cried 'fox fire' as small blue flames puffed in front of us. Horror dawned on his face as it drew closer.

"What's a tasty morsel like you doing with the jewel shards, huh? I think I'll just take you all for myself." He lunged with a sneer. In mid-air, a green whip ran through his body, splitting the demon in two.

"I don't think so." A silver haired demon appeared as he pulled back his whip into a rose. Fearful, I stood warily and bowed to thank him.

"Arigato, mister...?" I asked hesitantly as he drew closer.

"Youko Kurama. Why are you alone? Usually humans travel in groups." Youko asked with a curious expression on his face.

"Kaa-san is not alone!" Shippou cried indignantly, puffing his chest out as he stood between us. A laugh echoed through the forest as a bat demon walked into view.

"Always playing the hero." He laughed, "When you are a thief."

"Kuronue, it's dishonorable not to help a damsel in distress." Youko smiled coyly. "So, why do you travel with jewel shards and a kitsune child? You are not his mother, so why does he call so?"

"Shippou is my son, despite what you might think. Thank you but my village needs me." I answered with barely hidden irritation. I attempted to leave, but the bat demon, Kuronue stopped me and asked, "What is your name, ningen?"

"My name is Kagome Higurashi and now that we have been introduced, I must take my--" Screams tore through the air and my conversation was forgotten. I sprinted through the forest, ignoring the two demons behind me, and burst from the wood to see the sight I had been dreading since the blackened skies. Kagura flew above the village pulling people from the ground and letting them fall back down with a thud. Her ruby eyes burned with a fire, expression turning pleased as she found the burial site of my friends.

"Get away from their graves, you bitch."

Panting, I searched for a weapon as an abandoned crossbow met my eyes and I loosed an arrow towards her. It burned blue as it singed her feather and whistled past her ear. With a shriek the wind demoness fell toward the ground. I wasn't pleased when she jumped from her burnt feather and gracefully landed to quickly unleashed her fan, crying, "Wind Reaper!" Piercing blades flew toward my paralyzed body.

I'm going to die along with my friends I thought unhappily.

When I thought there was nothing anyone could do, the bat demon from before was standing before me, scythe easily deterring the attack away from me.

"Get your bow and help your village," he snapped, quickly facing to fight against Kagura.

I nodded and picked my way towards the villagers looking for my sensei. A white and red lump caught my attention as a hut nearby shifted and threatened to collapse on top of the old miko.

"Kaede?" my voice caught in my throat. Shaking feverishly, I grasped her cold hand, forgetting about the burning hut behind me. Lightning flashed and thunder clashed above as my tears mixed in puddle with the rain and blood. My mind wouldn't accept this new loss, but I was literally shoved from my reverie when someone dragged me from the ground and tossed me back down a few feet away. Looking up, the fox demon, Youko Kurama, towered over me. He said nothing as he stared at me blankly for what seemed like an eternity before he turned and sprinted back to the battle scene.

My mind was a hollow crypt as the cold and harsh world just echoed around me. Standing, I snatched up a quiver of arrows and the nearest bloody bow as I stalked toward the battle with a chilled determination freezing my blood. Knocking an arrow, I narrowed my eyes at Kagura as she danced around Kuronue, Youko standing to the side idly.

I heard the twang of my bow before I realized that I had fired.

Kagura cried as my arrow ran through her shoulder. A cold smirk slipped across my lips as I stood over the woman's tremulous form.

"Tell Naraku that I'm bringing the battle to him. I will have my revenge for Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha. I swear, on their graves and my title as the rightful protector of the Shikon Jewel, that he will die." My voice shook with such chilled, murderous foreboding that the two demons near me looked at me with a revised view. Kagura sneered through her pain as she summoned a new feather and flew away.

"You are the craziest miko I've ever met, but I will help you if you allow me one shard after this guy is dead," Kuronue stated. If I could have, I would have thanked him, but the emotions of a human had vanished from my body along with my energy, which I'd spent on my last shot at Kagura.

Before I lost totally consciousness, I saw the silver kitsune, holding me up, as little Shippou pounded on the man's chest, his mouth moving in anger. I couldn't hear what he was saying, but I had an idea as my vision blacked out.

First chappy of new story1 can I hear whoop, whoop? Don't kill me with flames but I had help on this, with A Shadow's eluded tear. Go check her and standintherift! They rock.