Lost is Found

By the time they found themselves down by the lake the sun was well faded behind the mountains, of course they had dropped below the level of the mountains. It only seemed darker than it truly was.

Kagome inhaled abruptly, InuYasha looked to where she was, thinking she had seen something, she sneezed and nearly fell backwards. InuYasha rolled his eyes and started to walk around the lake. Kagome sat down and watched as he made his round. She could see him go all the way around the lake, the only blockage was a small waterfall that came down from the mountains, it was bigger when the snow melted. As she looked at it she remembered it had been a long time since it had snowed, and the lake was a lot lower than it usually was. She looked down at the calm reflecting waters, she looked at her own reflection and grinned at herself.

Another reflection came up from no where behind her, she gasped and screamed. InuYasha's gaze instantly was up on the girl, he saw another demon, about his age with his hands on Kagome trying to keep her from screaming. He was proud of the little human she was kicking and screaming and scratching, with dull nails he remembered, and as he darted closer he saw her sink her teeth into his hand.

Now it was the demon's turn to scream, he tried to get her to let go but she held strong until InuYasha came from behind him and knock him over the head with his fist, the demon crumpled to the ground. Kagome released the hand and began to spit the coppery tasting substance from her mouth, she then began to wipe her tongue on her sleeve to get rid of the taste.

"You do pretty good fighting for a human," InuYasha rolled the demon child over and looked him over, he had brown hair that seemed slightly too long for him and, to his surprise and humor, the demon had his thumb in his mouth. He grinned and snickered. Kagome came over to the unconscious demon. She scowled at what he was laughing about.

"I saw you sucking your thumb." she stated venomously. InuYasha was instantly silenced. "What do we do with him now?" InuYasha stood up and looked around, there was no one, he looked down at the demon, then at the lake, then at the demon, "InuYasha, he's not dead, you can't through him in the lake, I forbid it."

He didn't look dishearten, "I'll tie him up, we'll make camp of some sort and when he wakes up and can knock him unconscious again." Kagome scowled at him then looked across the lake distantly, "I was just kidding Kagome."

It was as though she didn't hear him, she simply sat down cross-legged and continued to stare, InuYasha did tie up the demon and lean him against a tree, then he sat down next to Kagome, she had a distant look in her eyes, she blinked and looked over at him, "Could you tell me now?" she asked. He frowned, she was persistent, he shook his head, and said later. "Do you think that Kikyou's safe?"

He locked eyes with hers, his like amber in the fading twilight sun, hers like the lake they sat before, deeper in the center, and a lighter reflection of the center in the edges, the sun seemed to never set in those eyes. "If she's anything like you, she probably became a meal to a yoriki yesterday, and is giving him a very bad stomach ache today." he grinned, "Not really." he stated when he saw the hurt in those eyes. He broke the gaze first, ashamed that he had not thought before he spoke.

He felt a slight pressure on his shoulder, he turned and saw her leaning her head on his shoulder, her hands in her lap, "Thank you." she said.

He blinked confused, "For what?"

She smiled and didn't tell him, they sat there in the darkness as the stars started to appear in the night sky, "Nee-chan says that my mother and father are in the stars," Kagome began as she looked up into them, "and that they watch me every day and night. She told me that when it rains that my parents are sad for me when I refuse to be sad." She looked up at the heavens, the light of the stars reflecting in her eyes.

InuYasha looked up at the heavens, "My parents and brother are there," he said, "at my home I always thought that they cried when they were disappointed in me. It never stopped raining, for three weeks after my mother died, I didn't understand why she had to go, my father told me that heaven just wasn't the same without her, and they wanted her back." He shook his head, "My brother told me that my mother was crying because she missed me." He reminded himself that a week later Shessomaru had stopped talking to him and had acted as though he hated him. "My father died a year later, no one knew just why, I thought it was from a broken heart." He ended there, not wanting to dig too deep into the memories.

Kagome said nothing for a moment, "Nee-chan says its her fault my parents are gone, but, I don't understand why." She didn't finish, there was a moan from where InuYasha had tied up the demon.

He jumped over to him and stood over him, "Who are you? And why did you try and steal Kagome?" Kagome had turned to look at them, it was getting to dark, all she could see their silhouettes against a back fire from somewhere, she stood and saw torches.

"InuYasha! Run!" Kagome pointed to the band of demons heading toward them, InuYasha only had enough time to cut the ropes on their prisoner's hands before he took off after Kagome, he ran a head of her and paused long enough for her to climb onto his back.

To their surprise the demon ran along with them, InuYasha growled as he came along side them. "I don't wanna go back with them, why do you think I was running away from that way?" He looked at Kagome, he grinned, "Pretty wench you have,"

Kagome growled at him. "Go away unless you want me to hurt you." He swallowed.

"I just said," he paused in his words as they ran into the lower forest, "You look a lot like that other girl that came into our village a few days ago." InuYasha froze in his steps as he felt Kagome go tense. The other stopped as well. "what?"

"Is she still at your village?" Kagome asked insistent. InuYasha looked around, seeing if the other demons had followed them.

He shook his head, confused, "Why?" Kagome's heart fell, but she was glad that her sister was alive. InuYasha asked where she went, "she headed out toward the lake, then I lost track of where she went." He sniffed at Kagome, "You may look like her but you don't smell anything like her."

InuYasha groaned, how was he suppose... he sniffed the air, his eyes went wide, Kagome tugged at his sleeve and asked him what was wrong, "Blood." he took off running again, the other demon confused followed close behind him. "I don't know Kagome." He responded before she could ask the question if it was her sister.

The trees became thicker, he had no idea how but they did, they were closer together and stronger, even the small ones refused to bend out of his way. He jumped up into the trees, he found them to be a veritable maze of branches, all of them intertwined, as if they didn't want him to pass. Kagome climbed down from his back, she stumbled off the branch and fell toward the ground. InuYasha watched her fall at least ten feet to the ground below.

It was as if the world moved in slow motion as she fell through the air, Kagome's eyes were wide for a moment then she closed them tight, she could almost feel the bones in her body breaking before she hit the ground. InuYasha watched in horror, there was no way for him to stop her decent she was too far and he knew he wouldn't be fast enough.

Fortunately the other demon caught her just before she would hit the ground, she let out the air she had been holding, InuYasha did as well, he jumped down as the other demon put her on her feet.

"You need to be more careful," he stated to the human, "You're not a demon, if you break you can't be fixed." Kagome smiled, "My name is Kouga." InuYasha growled at him.

Kagome then walked slowly toward the knot of trees, that seemed to keep getting thicker, and thorn bushes began to get thicker, "Kikyou?" she called, it seemed as though the whole world was holding its breath to see what the small girl was doing, InuYasha sure was. She countinued to walk forward, "Kikyou, its me, your sister, I've come to find you." she was inches before the thorns, she reached out a hand and touched one of the giant thorns. InuYasha heard her inhale deeply, and could smell her blood, there was a gentle breeze, it traveled faster than any being human or demon could ever wish to, Kagome closed her eyes holding her cut palm. The wind went past the two boys and wrapped around the young girl, her hair flew up in the breeze, she put her chin down to her collar bone.

Something began to happen that neither of the boys would soon forget, the wind began to have a slivery blue color to it, an actual color that moved and whipped around the small girl as is they were ribbons tied to her boots. InuYasha noticed that she was outlined in this power. The wind then moved in and began to push the trees and bushes back to where they had been, returning them all to what they had been before, Kagome opened her eyes, they were their same blue only they had sliver waves in them swimming like fish against a strong current. After what seemed like moments to the boys but hours to the girl she allowed the power to disperse, there sitting on the ground was a small girl, there were cuts scoring her body from claws.

With out a second though Kagome walked forward and went to her sister's side, "Sister?" Kikyou looked up slowly from the ground, she locked eyes with her sister.

With out a word they seemed to understand each other, Kikyou wrapped her arms around her sister's throat, the near full moon was somewhere in the distance, giving light to the boys, they walked slowly forward, wondering if the trees would jump back at them. There was a quiver in the bushes, Kouga took a step back but InuYasha didn't pay attention he walked forward and squatted in front of Kikyou.

She had a scent that seemed to differ in every way to Kagome, the roses were lilacs, the river was more of a rich fresh earth, and there was also herbs of some kind that stood out above all the other scents. He tilted his head as he looked at her, she withdrew from him closer to Kagome, who stroked her hair and soothed her.

He eyes had a sunk in look as though she had not slept in days, and there was where he could see the only physical difference between the two girls, Kagome had blue eyes, Kikyou had deep brown that all most seemed black.

"Its alright Kikyou," Kagome wispered, "This is InuYasha, he helped us find you, he won't hurt you." Kagome nodded her head, InuYasha put our a hand slowly, Kikyou looked up at his amber eyes, she slowly put her hand in his. "He's going to carry you back to camp alright." Kikyou swallowed and nodded, she stood up and allowed him to lift her onto his back, he looked at Kagome, "Don't worry, I'll ask Kouga to take me." She smiled.

InuYasha had no choice, he nodded and ran, Kagome watched them go and dropped her smile, she turned and found Kouga waiting for her to climb on, she rolled her hands into fists and shoved them to her sides. She climbed onto Kouga's back. He took off after InuYasha.

Kikyou was silent as they went back to the lake, as was Kagome, Kikyou looked back once at her sister, Kouga was just behind InuYasha, so not to keep him from running into each other. InuYasha stopped by the lake. He put Kikyou down gently, as did Kouga with Kagome, both of the boys were panting. The demon children both fell onto their backs and lay there for a moment.

Kagome brought a water skin to InuYasha first and helped him drink out of it, properly for once, then went to Kikyou. Kouga had gone over to the lake and while laying on his stomach he dipped his hands into the water and pulled it up to his lips.

InuYasha sat up and looked over at Kikyou, she had something pink in her hands, she was rolling it back and forth in her fingers, she felt his gaze, and tucked it back under what remained of her shirt. Kagome produced a cloak from somewhere and wrapped it around her sisters shoulder. Kikyou didn't say anything or react.

Kagome walked over to InuYasha and put out a hand to him, he took it and they walked over to her sister, he watched as she tensed up for a moment then relaxed as she watched her sister. InuYasha sat down between the two girls, Kouga returned and sad on the other side of Kagome. "What do we do now?"

Kagome looked up at the moon, "Nee-chan said she would come and find us here in the morning." InuYasha looked over at her, "Or was it back at where camp was?" InuYasha sighed and looked over at Kikyou, she was looking at the lake.

"Kagome." She whispered, "where am I?" She looked over at her sister.

"We were out playing remember?"

Flashback

Kikyou darted out of her sister's reach, she laughed and swung her way around the tree, "Just missed me Kagome." She teased. Kagome wasn't where she had been moments before, she glanced around quizzically.

"Your it!" Kagome said from below her sister, she tapped the inside of her sisters calf, she giggled and got up quickly running away from Kikyou as she screamed that it wasn't far. She looked forward but not down, she tripped over one of the protruding roots, her face met the ground.

Kikyou froze mid step when she saw her sister laying on the ground, then hurried to her side, "Kagome, Kagome are you alright?" Kagome rolled over and sat up, tears were streaming down her face, after a moment she inhaled deeply and began to scream from the pain in her ankle. "No, no, no don't cry sister, I'll get nee-chan she'll make it better, I promise, I'll be right back, don't cry, shh." Kikyou wiped some of the tears from her cheeks and hugged her twin, "Just don't move alright."

Kagome looked up at Kikyou distraught, "Don't leave me." She caught hold of her sister's sleeve, "you can fix it, I know you can, please don't leave me here."

Kikyou looked at the pink bauble that had been entrusted into her care, she wrapped her hand around it, it began to give a faint glow. She wasn't sure how it was suppose to work only that it would do just what she asked. She took her hand away from the trinket and placed it gently on her sister's ankle. Kagome gasped, it felt like ice in her bones that spread though her entire body then back to her ankle, warming it and taking away the pain. Kagome exhaled.

Kikyou smiled, it had worked, and there was no back fire, like the last time she had tried. She looked up at her sister, "Let's go see nee-chan, I think she made cookies."

"Yum." the both said simultaneously, they laughed and walked ran toward the house.

From the trees they were watched, from the trees eyes watched the two girls make their way to their treats, from the trees, they had been seen.

Next morning

Kikyou sat up early in bed, earlier than she could ever remember, she went to the window, almost as if she was drawn there, she looked down and saw a red ball laying in the middle of the backyard, she blinked, they didn't own a red ball. She watched as a man came forward, he looked at the ball them up, directly into Kikyou's eyes.

Her heart jumped into her throat, his eyes were blood red, she tried to walk back from the window but only found that she couldn't move, come to me child, his voice was silky in her ears, she just stared into the eyes and shook her head. Come to me, child, the voice repeated insistently, again she shook her head.

Kagome woke up and looked over at her sister staring rigidly out the window Kagome went to her side, she looked down and saw only the red ball. "What's the matter sister?" She looked at her sister's eyes and saw not fear but horror. "Kikyou, look at me."

COME TO ME! The once silky voice was like an avalanche Kikyou finally broke the gaze and collapsed to the hard wood floor, she covered her ears with her hands. And began to bawl, "Don't let him in Kagome, don't let him get me, please sister, please." Kagome, though the youngest gathered her sister in her arms and held her close to her, running her hands down her hair, whispering to her that she wouldn't let him hurt her, that she would never let him come in. She did this until her sister stopped crying.

"Go into nee-chan's room, and tell her you had a nightmare and ask her if you could stay in her room till its time to get up, kay?" Kikyou nodded and slowly got to her feet, when she was out of the room and she heard the door close to her Kaede's room she went back to the window. She looked down and saw the man, he was in a black cloak and a black hat, he looked up at her, his red eyes shone as he looked into her eyes, she looked back defiantly, the look alone said, you will leave my sister alone, you will leave me alone, and I will not see you again. His voice chuckled, in her mind, as if daring her to keep him from taking what he wanted. She turned away not having the slightest implication to do anything else, she walked into Kaede's room and curled up between her two sisters.

Her exterior may have looked calm but inside she was trembling, fearing what the man wanted with Kikyou, she looked over to her sisters calm face, then to Kaede's, she felt comfort from them both, she cuddled down into the blankets she forgot all of the terror brought from him and slumbered peacefully.

Later

They all sat at the table, eating a breakfast freshly prepared by Kaede, Kagome was chomping on some eggs, scrambled and Kikyou was drinking some of the fresh milk. There was a knock at the door, Kagome could see Kikyou go ridge.

"Can one of you get that?" Kaede asked as she turned more bacon, Kikyou got up as did Kagome, they both walked to the door.

Kikyou opened it and saw a small package sitting on the porch addressed to her, she looked at Kagome, and bent to open it. A shadow fell over them both, Kikyou looked at the feet in horror, she slowly followed the feet up until her eyes locked with the blood red ones, she couldn't scream, nor could she fight as the stranger lifted her up from the ground. Kagome watched in terror as her twin was taken out the door, she couldn't move until she saw that they were halfway across the lawn, "No!" she screamed, "Kaede, he took her, help!" Kagome knew she wouldn't come fast enough, Kagome ran after them.

Kikyou still was too terrified to move or fight back, so Kagome fought for her, she jumped and grabbed him around the waist she began to kick the back of his knees, trying to make him fall, trying to make him forget Kikyou, let him take her instead. But he simply swung his empty arm around and locked it around Kagome's waist. She tried to bite and scratch him, anything to make him release them, she looked over at Kikyou. Kikyou locked eyes with her sister, it seemed to break through any terror that had covered her, they both began to fight and kick for release.

They screamed and shouted for someone to help them, Kagome looked forward and saw the forest and the lake. She closed her eyes, and opened them locking once more the gaze of her sister, they both closed their eyes.

Wind began to swirl around them kicking up the sand and dirt that lay loosely on the ground, Kikyou opened her eyes and looked to the ground while Kagome looked to the sky, the wind became silvery-blue around the three of them. Their captor couldn't move, as the ribbons of air could easily pass though the girls, they would cut into his skin, like knives. He felt something moving up his legs, he looked at Kikyou who was still and gazing at the earth, the roots of the trees were rapping around his legs, keeping him planted to the place.

He laughed, it started low but then began to grow louder, "You cannot stop me with your meager tricks children." He tore his legs from the roots and walked through the silver winds, to his error. The blades cut through flesh, sinew, bone, and all other things that are in a human. He laughed at first, for he saw no change, then his breath caught, blood began to come from every inch of his body, it was black and sticky. "I will not die as this, he said I would not." his hands fell from around the girls and they fell to the ground as demon steaks about one to two inches thick hit the earth.

Kikyou gasped and got away from the carnage, she stood, her terror had returned, there was no Kagome, only the dead and Kikyou, she ran. Kagome cried out to her, but she wouldn't stop running. Kagome got up as the demon began to turn to ash.

She was all turned around and backwards, she wasn't positive of where she was, but figured on the edge of the woods wasn't the best place to be. She walked toward the lake and made her way into the mountain area.

End Flashback

Kikyou had returned her gaze to across the lake, she had nodded, "I do remember." She shivered, but not out of chill, out of fear. Kagome shivered from the cold.

InuYasha took of his haori and put it over her shoulders. He had endured worse cold, in the prison cells. He mentally shook himself, not wanting any of the memories at the time. He looked at Kagome, she wasn't where she had been, he looked down at his lap and found her head on it, she was curled up under the haori, her eyes were starting to haze over with sleep, they fell close heavily only to have her force them open again. InuYasha crossed his legs making it more comfortable, she yawned and fell into a slumber, after a moment he watched Kikyou as she slowly lay her head on his other leg, covered in Kagome's cloak, their hair mingled across his lap. After he was sure they were both asleep he began to run his fingers through the mass of black strands. Kouga had wondered off to look for any approaching people. InuYasha watched as they both slept, he couldn't tell them apart with their eyes closed, it looked as though one of them had fallen asleep next to a mirror and was reflecting in it.

He touched Kagome's cheek just to be sure that he wasn't seeing things and that she was actually there. Kiyou would retract from his touch so he only touched her once. He wondered what it was like, to have someone so close to you, to share everything with that person, to have no disagreements, to have someone as a constant companion, always at your side. Shessomaru had been a kind enough brother, but he had never been a friend as these two seemed to be.

He began to nod off, he shook himself, trying to stay awake. He failed.

Kaede saw a faded light off to the east as the sun rose onto the landscape, there had been sign of Kagome or InuYasha, she worried at her lip and continued to look out over the land below her, she caught sight of movement below, a demon darting around the lake, casting early morning shadows across the water. She whistled to the men that were with her, they began to make their way down to the ground level.

InuYasha was shaken awake, "Lemme alone." he mumbled, thinking it was Kouga. The hands then proceeded, as he could feel to shake Kagome and Kikyou. He growled.

"Kaede!" Kikyou cried and wrapped her arms around her oldest sister's neck, InuYasha woke, and found that Kikyou was the only one that had woken, Kagome was still sleeping on his leg, he bounced it, she opened her eye and looked up at him, he nodded his head toward Kaede. Kagome looked and she squealed just as her sister had moments before. InuYasha lowered his ears in distaste.

Kaede turned to InuYasha, who stood slowly, "I thank you for finding my sisters." InuYasha nodded curtly. There was a moment in which all of them were trying to decide to do next. "You are, more than welcome to stay with us InuYasha." His ears perked up slightly.

"Really?" He turned to look at the three girls, Kagome looked up at Kaede surprised at her sisters words, Kaede nodded. "Okay..." he walked over to them and stood next to them. Kagome grinned and let go of her sister to hook her arms around his neck. He leaned back away from her for a minute then smiled and gave her a hug back.

Kikyou watched for a moment then smiled and went over and gave him a hug too. Kouga feeling slightly left out gave Kaede a hug, she blinked at the strange little wolf demon. "Kagome, you seem to attract some strange friends." Kagome giggled.