Disclaimer: The honor of owning Inu-yasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, and I am not her. *sigh* ...
Previously in our fic: Inu-yasha comes to get Kagome and finds that Hojo's invited her to a dance... Typical fight stuff.
"Just An Animal" - Chapter 3 Chapter Song: You Belong to Me - Jason Wade
see the jungle when it's wet with rain
just remember 'til you're home again
you belong to me
~*~
Miroku looked up as he heard voices approaching. Loud, angry voices. He sighed and Sango raised an eyebrow.
"Look, it's not like I said I was going, okay? I'm going to be here fighting demons until Sunday, just like I promised!" Kagome said as she strode into the clearing with her bike, Inu-yasha hot on her heels.
"Why you'd want to go with that insufferable little..."
"That's my friend you're talking about..."
"Stop it, both of you!" Miroku yelled, momentarily stunning them into silence. "Listen, Kaede says that a village southeast of here was attacked the other day by demons..."
"A few survivors arrived the other day... barely concious, white as death, and hardly a mark on them," said Sango, picking up her boomerang. "They said all they remembered was that they appeared in the river and began dragging people underwater."
"We think it sounds like kappa-demons," Miroku said. "Apparently they haven't left the area yet, but they'll move on to kill again so we have to hurry. This village is along the same river, we might be the next ones attacked."
"I guess we're off, then." Kagome said, ruffling Shippo's hair as he clambered onto her bulging pack to hitch a ride.
"It's about a day's journey to the village..." Miroku said, following Sango onto the forest path and casually throwing an arm around her waist. The arm was swiftly removed as Sango swung her hand, and Miroku started in on a plan to defeat the demons that involved using Sango as live, perhaps nude, bait.
Kagome sighed and followed them. Inu-yasha fell into step beside her, still scowling ferociously.
"Stupid brainless twit..."
"Shut up or I'll say it, dog-boy!"
Inu-yasha glowered but resorted to muttering under his breath after that. He sighed inwardly. He wanted the shards that these kappa might hold... but a little part of him knew that these might be the last shards. And then he'd lose Kagome forever....
As they settled down for the night at the edge of a forest, Kagome glanced up into Inu-yasha's tree and watched him. He'd finally stopped grumbling and was now staring off into space, arms crossed, face impassive.
The firelight flickered over his white hair and red robes. The orange light made him look as if he, too, was on fire... although his expression was cold, like ice.
I wonder what he's thinking... she wondered. I never can tell. I wish I knew... how to talk to him... Kagome sighed and fingered the jewel around her neck.
She'd admitted to herself long ago that she loved him. It's just... sometimes he makes it so hard to love him. Like today, with Hojo... Just when I think he might be opening up to me... something happens to put us back at square one.
Something like Kikyo. A slight breeze caused the fire to sputter and ruffled Inu-yasha's hair. Shippo grumbled and snuggled closer to her, shivering. She wrapped the sleeping bag closer around him and he quieted. I wonder if he's thinking about... her...
Kikyo was still around, of course, collecting souls and wreaking havoc. And now that Naraku was gone... Inu-yasha had promised to descend with her to hell, once it was all over. The next time they met, he might... might...
She didn't even want to think it. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him. Of losing any of them, really... She pulled Shippo closer and glanced over her shoulder at Miroku and Sango.
Miroku was asleep on the opposite side of the fire, looking strange with two bare arms peeking out of his sleeves. Since Naraku's death, they had more than once caught him staring in awe at his hand, which was now free of the kazaana that Naraku had put in it.
Sango curled against Kirara's side, who had opted for the giant fire-cat form tonight. Her grief was slowly fading... Shippo and Miroku had been trying their hardest to cheer her up (although Miroku's methods had earned him several minor concussions).
When the jewel was completed, she would have to leave all of them, wouldn't she? She couldn't stay here. She would have to leave her darling kitsune Shippo. And Sango had become like a sister to her... Even Miroku had started to grow on her, as long as he kept his hands where she could see them.
Then there was Inu-yasha, of course. She returned her gaze to the solemn hanyou on the tree-branch.
They'd complete the jewel and he would wish for Kikyo to live again. And she would lose him... go home with a broken heart... The old ache in her chest began to throb again and she sighed softly. If only I could just stop loving him... but I can't, can I?
Inu-yasha glanced over at her small sigh and caught her staring, giving her a long, unreadable look before returning his gaze to the night sky. Kagome laid her head back. Things were so much simpler before Kikyo came, before all this happened... if only I'd never fallen in the well in the first place... if I'd just had a normal life... She fell into a restless sleep, her hand closed tight around the Shikon Jewel at her throat.
And I'll be so alone without you
maybe you'll be lonesome too...
~*~
Author's Note: I swear, something more interesting than dialogue happens in the next chapter. There's *gasp* actual action! Just stick with me, I promise I'm going somewhere with this fic... eh heh heh... And the chaps start getting longer after this. A big shoutout to all my reviewers! You guys seriously rock.
Coming up next: The showdown begins with the kappa-demons... they are kappa-demons, right? Or are they something worse? Find out in Chapter 4!