Yay! People like the story. :) Hooray! This chapter is for the people who read the first chapter and put me on their alert list. I've moved some stuff around so I can't remember who you are, but thank-you. Ok, on with the story! Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, but I'll claim him if she'll let me.

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"Guys! Look out!" Sango yells as she and Kilala dodge to the right, out of the way of a large rock.

Miroku and Shippo jump to the left while Inuyasha grabs Kagome and backs away from the mouth of the cave. One of the twin goat demons is standing in front of the opening, throwing boulders that its brother is kicking down from the cliff above, while also throwing rocks himself.

"Which one has a jewel shard?" Inuyasha yells to Kagome as he uses Tetsusaiga to split a large boulder coming at them. We need to get this done, Inuyasha thinks as he glares at the setting sun.

Kagome ducks behind him as the rock shatters and hundreds of pieces go flying past the two of them. She peers around the hanyou's shoulder, focusing on the demon in front of the cave. "The one by the cave has a shard in his stomach..." Kagome glances to the one on the cliff. "...the one above has one in his forehead." She closes her eyes as Inuyasha breaks another boulder that has come hurtling their way. "That's all I sense--just those two!"

"Alright then!" Miroku yells as he removes the prayer beads from his right hand. "WIND TUNNEL!" Dozens of rocks of all sizes go flying into his hand, effectively stripping the goat demons of their ammo. The last stone, a particulary large one with sharp edges, gets stuck, half-in and half-out of the wind tunnel, before it's finally sucked in. "Aaahhh!" Miroku screams in pain as he quickly wraps the prayer beads around his wrist.

"What's wrong, Miroku?" Shippo asks as the kitsune hops from the monk's shoulder to the ground, where Miroku is now kneeling.

"Sharp...edges...tore...," Miroku gasps out.

Shippo grabs his friend's hand in his small ones and yells to the others. "That last rock hurt Miroku's wind tunnel! He can't use it anymore!"

Sango nods, worry in her brown eyes. "Right! We'll take care of 'em now! HIRAITKOTSU!" she yells, while throwing her weapon at the demon above the cave.

At the same time, Inuyasha yells, "WINDSCAR!" and releases his swords' attack at the demon in front of the cave.

The two attacks hit almost simultaneously, obliterating both demons within seconds of one another. As the group watches the demons remains float away on the breeze, Kagome sees the jewel shard that belonged to the upper demon drift down to land next to its fellow. She starts toward the cave, slinging her bow and backpack over her shoulder, and eyes the opening warily. It seems stable, despite the recent attacks... Inuyasha sheaths Tetsusaiga as he follows the miko.

Kilala flies over to Miroku, where the young demon slayer quickly dismounts and kneels to check on her fiance. "I think he'll be okay, as long as he doesn't use..." Sango stops as she feels a hand on her backside. Her face goes red with anger and embarrassment, before a resounding slap echoes around the area.

"Miroku will be fine," Shippo says, rolling his eyes as he looks at the handprint forming on the monk's face.

Inuyasha sighs and shakes his head while Kagome grins at the couple, the sun illuminating them from behind. So in love...she thinks as she gazes back at Inuyasha. He sees the look and returns a quizzical one, but makes no comment. As they reach the mouth of the cave, Kagome reaches down and picks up the two shards of the Sacred Jewel, adding them to the ones already hanging around her neck. As she turns back toward Inuyasha, they hear a loud roar above the cave and the ground starts to shake.

"Kagome!" Sango yells, while she and the others stare at something above their heads.

Kagome and Inuyasha look up to see the top and insides of the mouth of the cave crashing down on them. Kagome gasps as Inuyasha dives at her, sending them both tumbling inside the cave as the opening collapses, shutting out all light. Kagome sits up, but she can't see anything. She feels Inuyasha beside her, and knows that because of his demon blood, he can probably still see, or, more likely, smell, the opening. I hope...

"Don't move!" Inuyasha yells as he runs over to the entrance, unsheathing Tetsusaiga along the way.

Please hurry Inuyasha. It's so close to sundown...

Kagome hears another roar, and a crash inside the cave as pieces of rock and dust rain over her. As Kagome uncurls from the ball she had rolled in to protect herself, she tentatively calls out Inuyasha's name. "Inuyasha?"

Silence.

"Inuyasha?" she says a little louder.

Still nothing.

Fear grips Kagome as she removes her bow, quiver, and backpack, fumbling in the last for a flashlight. She finds it and switches it on, swinging the beam towards the cave entrance. She can't see anything at first because of all the dust particles in the air, and Kagome coughs a few times as a result. As the light moves across the fallen rock, Kagome sees a pair of red hakamas and bare feet, as well as the rusty form of Tetsusaiga. Above Inuyasha's waist, there's only rock.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screams, propelling herself off the ground and running towards him. She drops the flashlight and begins pushing rocks off the half-demon. The first rock she moves uncovers a strand of dark hair. Oh, no...

Kagome digs faster, pushing with more strength than she thought she had. As Kagome uncovers Inuyasha's head and neck, she can already see cuts and bruises forming. A small river of blood is winding its way toward her knees as the miko finishes removing the remaining rocks from Inuyasha's body. She lets out a cry of despair and tears fill her eyes.

Inuyasha's human head of dark hair is matted with blood, and there are two huge gashes--one on his neck, one on his head--that are bleeding freely. Dust and small stones have collected in both of them, as well as covered his face and hands. Most of his fingers are black and blue, and one of his wrists seems broken. A single tear slides down her cheek...