"Thank goodness the storm passed over," Sango said, standing outside the hut the next day. The sky was still overcast, but things had settled down some. Miroku wondered if that meant the argument in the heavens had been settled as well.
"Is this enough wood, Kaede?" InuYasha asked, walking around the corner, bearing an enormous pile of wood in his arms.
The old lady blinked in shock, "Uh...yes. Thank ye, InuYasha, that should suffice for quite a while."
He walked to the edge of the hut, dumping the wood with a loud clatter, "Well...we might be gone again if anything comes up, so I figured might as well just get what you need now."
Kaede smiled up at him, "Most kind of you, InuYasha."
InuYasha, uncomfortable, shrugged it away, "Yeah, well, don't go expecting this all the time or anything."
He walked off, moving around the hut.
Kaede walked over to Miroku and Sango, and spoke gently, "It is hard to believe a person can change so much in the space of just over one year."
"InuYasha has a kind heart," Miroku smiled, speaking gently, not wanting the hanyou to overhear himself being discussed, "He just had to keep it hidden for so long for his own survival." He sighed softly, "He'll probably never be able to completely overcome it. No matter what happens, I think he will always have that manner of pulling back behind a wall at the last minute."
"Even so," Sango said quietly, "It's good to see he's more comfortable in his own skin, as my father used to say."
"When I was just a little girl," Kaede said softly, "I only saw InuYasha once or twice. And I was afraid of him. He was very wild back then, and certainly had no time for a child. I know now he would never have hurt me, but I did not know that at the time."
"Didn't Kikyo tell you he wasn't dangerous?"
Kaede was quiet for a moment, and then spoke very quietly, "She did not. I...do not know if she felt that way or not."
Sango blinked at the older woman, "Lady Kaede...forgive me, I know Kikyo was your sister, but...she loved him, didn't she? She wouldn't have loved him if she had thought he was a danger to you or anyone else."
Kaede bent, and picked up a small bundle of herbs she had gathered earlier. Her old eyes wandered out over the village for a few moments, and then spoke gently.
"Kikyo was my sister, and I love her still. And as a child, I loved her with all my heart. But I will tell you this in all truth. I never saw InuYasha inside the village, not once. Sister Kikyo always left to meet him."
Kaede turned, and made her way back to her hut. Sango and Miroku looked at each other, not understanding at first what she meant.
It was about an hour later, InuYasha was sitting on a fence, overlooking the village, tapping his fingers. He was waiting for Kagome. Kaede had told him she had gone out with Shippo and DarkWind to treat a villager's child who had the flu. He would have gone looking for her, but had sort of gotten stuck with helping Kaede stock up her wood.
He was starting to wish the old woman would move closer down to where the other villagers were.
She's getting too damn old to be living on her own now. Not that I'd let the old bat hear me say that. She should start looking for someone to help her out more.
Well, that wood should do her a while now, anyway. And seeing it's not really cold, she only needs enough to cook by. Still...
There was a sudden blurring of color to his left, one he now recognised as DarkWind phasing to this location. He only had a moment to wonder what he was doing instead of walking back with Kagome, when the Kageri appeared in place, Shippo clinging to his shoulder, and carrying Kagome in his arms, the shaft of an arrow protruding from her left shoulder. DarkWind hit the ground running, heading towards Kaede's hut, long black braid flying out behind him.
InuYasha almost fell off the fence in shock, before managing to get to his feet, lunging after the Kageri, "What happened!?"
"Someone shot from the forest, InuYasha-Warrior!" DarkWind called back, darting up the few steps, pushing aside the door covering. Shippo looked half dead, but he managed to cling to DarkWind's vest with all he had.
"Is she alright? Kagome!?" InuYasha dropped to his knees beside the fire, frantic, watching her face as DarkWind lay her on the floor. Her face contorted in pain, and she cried out.
"What's going on?" Lady Kaede called out, pushing her way in behind the others, blinking, "Kagome! What happened?"
"She was shot!" Shippo suddenly found his voice, and burst into tears.
Miroku and Sango had run in behind Kaede, and Sango took Shippo from DarkWind's shoulder. The Kitsune child looked green from the translocating, but his green eyes were huge.
"Shippo, what happened?"
Kaede knelt, and untied Kagome's top, peering at the arrow. InuYasha stared over her shoulder at the arrow shaft, unable to help noticing that it was the same shoulder that had been hit long ago with a crossbow bolt inside the castle. The hit she had taken while trying to get him out, to save his soul from being sucked into a blackened gem. The one that carried the scar she was so self-conscious about.
"We were just leaving the hut of the sick kid when the arrow came out of the forest, and hit Kagome! She fell back and hit the wall of the hut! And then she screamed!"
"Who did it!?" InuYasha demanded.
"I do not know, InuYasha-Warrior," DarkWind said levelly, his reddish-black eyes on Kagome's face, "For I had to bring Nushi here as quickly as I could." He looked up, and met the hanyou's eyes, "Perhaps, when we are sure Nushi is well, a hunting party would be in order?"
InuYasha narrowed his eyes, and spoke, "I don't need your help, I'll find who did this on my own."
DarkWind bowed his head to the hanyou, and spoke calmly, "My duty dictates that I avenge my Nushi if she is injured. But..." he looked up, meeting InuYasha's eyes again, "My duty does not dictate to whom I give the transgressor to for justice. I humbly beg permission to join you in the hunt, InuYasha-Warrior, with the clear understanding that justice shall be meted out by you."
InuYasha blinked, not expecting this from the Kageri. He had always considered DarkWind a rival.
Miroku was equally surprised, and used it to his advantage, "Two hunters are more likely to find the prey, InuYasha."
The hanyou leaned back, studying DarkWind in silence for a moment, before nodding, "Fine. But he's mine when we find him, understand?"
DarkWind nodded, "Completely, InuYasha-Warrior."
Kagome suddenly cried out, and everyone turned to her.
"It's deep," Kaede said, worriedly, "But luckily it missed both her heart, her lung, and her shoulder. The crossbolt bolt damaged her shoulder before, this might have ruined it altogether. As it is, it's just in flesh."
"You say that," Kagome croaked, "Like it's in cotton candy."
"Kagome?" InuYasha leaned over, on knees and elbows, and took her free hand, "Are you ok?"
She looked at him, the haze of pain in her eyes, and he slapped a hand over his face, She has an ARROW in her, that's NOT OK!
"Are ye hurt anywhere else, Kagome?" Kaede asked softly, already motioning for Sango to start boiling some water. Miroku stood, and moved to the cupboard where Kaede kept her surgical things. He had seen arrows being removed before, and knew what would be needed.
"No..." she said breathlessly, "Just...shoulder. Hurts...to...breathe."
"It's too high to have hit your lung, so you don't have to be frightened of that," Kaede gently comforted her, "It hurts when you breathe because your chest moves, that is all."
"Ok," Kagome said, "Good. Thanks."
"Sango, pass me down that package there, with the blue powder inside. Nay, don't inhale! Good. Those will aid Kagome with the pain. Put three...mmmm. Four of those small wooden spoons' worth in a small cup, and add enough water to fill it."
"Ooooh..." Kagome shivered, whispering, "This is going to hurt so much."
InuYasha looked at her, and she tried to smile at him, but it withered on her trembling lips, and died. Her whole body was trembling as shock started to set in.
"I'm right here," he said, squeezing her hand. He reached out with his other hand, and brushed back her bangs. He heard DarkWind talking lowly to Kaede, but his attention was on her, "Did you see anything, Kagome? Anything at all?"
"No," she said weakly, "Nothing. I was walking out, and feeling so happy that I had helped the little boy, and then it hit me. I think I lost a shoe," she tried again to smile, and it failed.
"We'll get it back, don't worry."
"Nushi?" DarkWind leaned over, and spoke gently, "I am going to aid the Lady Kaede in the removal of the arrow."
"You!?" InuYasha tensed, glaring over Kagome at the Kageri, "You're not a healer!"
"No, InuYasha-Warrior, I am not. But I am going to ensure that Nushi does not feel the pain of the removal."
InuYasha blinked, "What? How?"
"I will remove her consciousness from her body."
"You what?"
"In essence, I will be holding her mind, separate from her body."
InuYasha's hand tightened around Kagome's, "You're going to remove her mind? Are you insane?"
"I have done this before, InuYasha-Warrior. It is not outside my abilities. Nushi's mind, to me, is as a large room. It can also take the shape of a small sphere. In this manner, I can remove her...awareness... from her body, and hold it carefully, until the Lady Kaede removes the arrow. I can then replace her awareness in her body."
"No, it sounds too dangerous," InuYasha said, "If you mess up, or drop it or something, Kagome's brain suffers."
"I will not 'mess up'," DarkWind said, and his voice suddenly took on an odd, tense tone, a tone of being slighted, "I am perfectly aware of what I am capable of, and I would not risk Nushi's mind in any manner."
"Kaede has herbs," InuYasha said firmly, his eyes boring into the Kageri, "That she's used before. It will put Kagome to sleep, and she'll be fine. We've used them before, we know they're safe."
"InuYasha," Kaede said quietly, interjecting herself into the argument, "While the herbs do provide sleep, the removal of the arrow is going to be extremely painful. There is a very strong likelihood that it will pull Kagome out of her sleep."
"Well can't you just give her more?"
"Giving her enough to ensure a deep sleep would be trial and error, and there is the chance I would give her too much, and put her in a sleep she would not awaken from at all. If DarkWind says he can ensure that Kagome will feel no pain at all, it would be cruel of us not to allow her that option.
To say nothing of the fact it is, really, not our choice at all. It is Kagome's decision, not ours."
InuYasha looked down at Kagome, swallowing when he saw she was looking straight at him. Of course it was her choice...he had just...
She spoke, weakly, "DarkWind won't let anything happen to me, InuYasha. I'm completely safe with him."
He swallowed again, "Yeah...I know..." he smoothed back her bangs again.
"Well, then...if DarkWind is ready," Kaede said, laying out some rather wicked-looking things on a roll of cloth, "We can begin."
DarkWind nodded, and stood. He walked around to sit at Kagome's head. He reached out, and gently laid a hand on the top of her head, and smiled down at her, "You will feel only sleepy, Nushi. That is all. Although you may have some odd dreams, for which I apologise."
Kagome smiled faintly, "Ok."
InuYasha watched her face, and started to lean back, letting go of her hand, to move out of the way.
Kagome suddenly turned, clamping onto his hand in a death grip, "No!"
He stopped, blinking at her, "Kagome?"
"You..." her eyes were wide, "You're going to stay, aren't you?"
"If...if you want me to." he said.
Kagome nodded, looking at him a little wildly, fear in her eyes. She suddenly turned to Kaede, "If he's not in your way?"
The old woman smiled, "InuYasha will not be in my way as long as he stays where he is. Holding your hand will not interfere. In fact, it may prove useful having a second hand here in case I need something."
Kagome rested her head again, nodding.
"I'm right here, Kagome," InuYasha said, "I'll stay until you wake up."
"Ok," she said in a small voice, "I'm holding you to that."
He rubbed the back of her hand with his fingers, watching. Black eyes remained locked with gold ones until her eyelids drooped, fluttered, and then closed.
With Kagome out cold, it went faster than it had the first time she had had to have a crossbow bolt removed. There was no stopping to allow the person to drink more herbal tea, no stress as someone had to hold down the person being worked on.
Kaede removed Kagome's shirt, cutting it open, and placed a folded cloth over her breasts for modesty.
Kaede used a strange-looking instrument, two long, smooth and curved bars, about seven inches long, and half an inch thick. They were joined near one end by another wooden peg, so they opened and closed, similar to a pair of scissors. Kaede took up a very sharp knife, and cut into Kagome's skin, lengthening the cut where the arrow entered. Red blood welled up, running across her skin.
InuYasha's nose twitched, the hot coppery smell mixed with Kagome's own scent making him feel ill. His eyes traced over the old scar on her shoulder, the arrow shaft sticking out from the bottom of it.
She got that because of me, he thought, for the hundredth time, Saving me from that castle.
His fingertips lightly traced over the back of her hand.
DarkWind's eyes were closed, one hand lightly touching the top of her head. The Kageri held Kagome's consciousness within himself, cradling it against himself, like a small glowing treasure. He could feel she was frightened, but she drifted, dreaming. He could feel, though, that even in her dream, she remembered the hanyou's promise. He would be there, until she awoke.
He smiled.
When the cut had been lengthened enough, Kaede picked up the strange wooden instrument, and opened it, sliding it into the cut. She pushed the instrument into Kagome's flesh, closing it around the arrowhead. Then in one slow, careful motion, she drew out the arrow. In this manner only could the arrow be removed without the barbs doing terrible damage on it's way out.
Kaede cleaned the wound, and washed it with hot herbal water to discourage infection. Then she used bone needles to stitch up the cut.
When all was done, Kagome was bandaged neatly, and covered up again. It took a little under an hour.
Kaede moved back, and DarkWind gently placed Kagome's consciousness back inside her own body.
InuYasha leaned over, chafing her hand, watching her face closely.
After a second or two, Kagome's eyelids fluttered, and she opened her eyes, her eyebrows coming together in pain.
She made a soft sound of pain, closing her eyes for a minute, then opening them again. She turned her head, and looked at InuYasha, and faintly smiled.
"Are you ok?" he asked.
"I had the strangest dream," she said weakly, "Of skydiving gophers."
He blinked.
"Drink some of this tea, Kagome," Kaede said, smiling, "It will keep the pain away while you heal."
DarkWind moved back, allowing InuYasha to slide in behind Kagome, and help her to a sitting position. She winced at the pain, but took the cup and drank it down.
"I'm going to fall asleep again, aren't I?" she asked Kaede.
"Yes," the older woman said, "But you'll wake now and then to eat. The arrow came out cleanly, you should be fine."
Miroku had taken the arrow when Kaede removed it, and wrapped it up in an old cloth. Now InuYasha noticed both the monk and Sango were bent over to the side, talking lowly to each other.
He looked back at Kagome, "Are you in much pain?"
"No, I'm sort of...floating. That tea does wonders." She smiled, and squeezed his hand, "Thank you."
He just nodded, still gently rubbing her hand, and watched as she sank down into a normal sleep.
When he was sure she was well out, he leaned back, closing his eyes and sighing, drooping.
He looked at DarkWind, who was watching Kagome's face as well. He knew he should probably thank him...but he couldn't. DarkWind had done for Kagome what he himself couldn't.
Well...there was something he could do for her. Go out and find out who the hell had shot her.
He stood up, starting towards the door, when Miroku called out to him, "InuYasha, wait."
"What is it, Miroku, I'm in a hurry."
Miroku and Sango exchanged a glance, and then moved towards the door, to slip outside. Sango called DarkWind to come out as well, irritating InuYasha. DarkWind had done enough, he could track down Kagome's attacker.
DarkWind stepped down the few steps to stand beside the three others. Miroku stood there with the arrow in a piece of cloth.
"Well, what is it?" InuYasha demanded.
"The arrow that was removed from Kagome," Miroku said, "it..well..."
He glanced at Sango again, and then held it out, unwrapping it.
The shaft was simple light wood, the flight feathers white.
The arrowhead was white jade.
DarkWind and InuYasha both blinked, shocked.
DarkWind looked up at Miroku, "That arrow was meant for me, Miroku-Monk, not Nushi."
"That's right," Miroku said lowly, stealing a glance at InuYasha.
The hanyou stood, staring at the arrow, his face pale. Both he and Miroku had seen one before, and knew who had shot it.
Kikyo.
I...I told her to leave DarkWind alone, InuYasha said, his gut twisting, I told her it would hurt Kagome.
"So someone here knows how to hunt Kageri," DarkWind said, troubled, "And they harmed Nushi." His face darkened, "Well, we shall see who he is, and why his aim is so poor. Shall we go, InuYasha-Warrior?"
InuYasha said nothing for a moment, then turned his face from DarkWind, his voice hard.
"You stay with Kagome. I'll go see who it was."
DarkWind looked at him, confused, "I thought we agreed-"
"We didn't agree on anything!" InuYasha yelled, glaring at the Kageri, "I don't need your help! Stay here!"
He turned, lunging down towards the village.
DarkWind looked back, shocked. Sango was about to speak to him, when she saw anger cross DarkWind's face, and he phased out.
"Oh no," Sango said to Miroku, "This can't end well. Should we-"
"No," Miroku shook his head, "I don't think it's a good idea, and more importantly...by the time we caught up with them, it would be over anyway."