It wasn't really sunny day. Clouds were a little dark and any bright wasn't seen. Kagome knew it was going to rain today.

"Here you go, Ineko-san", Kagome said and gave folded laundries to brown-haired woman. "I hope that helped you."

"Hai hai. Arigato for your help, Kagome-san", she answered, putting laundries to her basket. "It is a shame that you have to waste your time because me. But there is so much to do and I wanted my laundries out of the rain."

"Don't worry, I understand. It's everyone's responsibility to help each others", Kagome said smiling.

When Kagome had helped her, she started walk around the village like everyday, just wandering. She saw little boys play with few dogs, girls were probably helping their mothers inside their huts or with Kikyo outside of the village.

Onesan...

They hadn't spoke to each others anything that day. Kagome was still bitter and would probably always be if this this would go on. And Kikyo hadn't pushed her. She had every right to be angry.

Kagome walked to their small hut, shook her blue kimono a little and stepped in.

Well maybe I can clean a bit, she thought but then she glanced water bucket on the floor. Or I could go to river and get more water.

She sighed, took the bucket and went back to outside. When her life had become so... humdrum? Not that she complained. Life in village was peaceful, good and lovely. But sometimes she wished something more.

The small river was quite near the forest and it lead in it. She knelt down on river bank and took bucketful bright water. Somehow her mood only darkened and she threw water at her face.

Come on, Kagome. What are you sulking about?

While she rubbed her now wet face she suddenly heard a noise. Like dragging footsteps. Kagome turned her head to right and her eyes widened. Along the river bank staggered middle-aged man who wore dark, worn out pants and tattered shirt. Kagome could have thought that he was just some man from other village. But his face was bloody, his stomach cut and right arm nearly loose.

"Nani..." she breathed horrified and ran as fast as she could to the man.

"Wha-what happened?" she asked touching his left shoulder. His green eyes looked hazy and he was trying to say something to her but just couldn't get his words out. "What-"

"Don't..." he said in raspy voice and Kagome nearly cried when she noticed that blood was coming from man's mouth too.

"Please, you have to lay down now", she said now in panic but the man was stubborn and tried to say more.

"Don't let them hurt anymore", he whispered, his eyes so desperate that it confused Kagome. Then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground.

"Oh kami-sama!" Kagome cried and kneeled beside him, shaking his shoulder carefully, not wanting to hurt him or make him bleed more but still firmly. "Please wake up! Sir!"

But he didn't wake. He was unconscious.

What should I do? What should I do?, she thought, breathing rapidly and looked around trying to find something what could help her. I can't leave him alone. Bleeding! I have to stop the bleeding.

Without thinking more she teared her kimono's hem, turned the man so that his back was against the ground and bandaged his arm as well as she could. But she knew it wouldn't help. He would lost his right arm. Kagome shook her head; now wasn't the time to pity him. She had to bandage his stomach too.

But wait a minute. Isn't there a herb which can help to stop the bleeding?, she remembered and looked her bloody hands then the man. There was big blood puddle around him on the ground. If she could find that herb he could make it.

"Please hang on", she whispered then got up and started search for it from near. She remembered some details of it. Her heart drummed against her ribs and her temple was wet from cold sweat. She had to find it. She had to! Then her gaze fell to really tiny herb which had blue flower and it looked just the right one. She thought for a moment, then grabbed it and ran back to the man. Quickly she pressed the herb against the wound on his stomach, then teared her hem again and bandaged. When she was ready she looked his arm. Blue piece of her kimono which was wrapped around it, had turned red from the blood. For last time Kagome teared her hem so that it was now above her knees and bandaged his arm again. Then suddenly the man started move. His eyes weren't open but his body shook and juddered violently, blood flowing from his mouth.

Oh no...

Kagome tried to hold his head so he wouldn't hurt it. That was all she could do, she was hopeless.

"Help!" she screamed when man didn't stop juddering. "Please, somebody help me! Help!"

When she thought she would start crying like a helpless baby, she heard something.

"Kagome!"

Kagome raised her head and looked left. It was her sister. Kikyo was running so fast as she could, her black straight hair swaying in the wind. There was four children who ran behind her.

"Onesan!" Kagome cried, their fight long forgotten. She was so happy and relieved to saw her. Soon Kikyo was beside the man and Kagome.

"How long he has been juddering?" Kikyo asked from her, eyes sharp.

"Um, so long that I don't think it's normal", she answered.

"Then we have to wait. Girls, go get help!" she said to children and immediately they started run back home. "Kagome, hold his tongue."

"Eh?"

"Hold his tongue! Or else he'll bit it off", Kikyo ordered and grabbed the man by his left shoulder and right side, carefull not to touch his other arm.

"H-hai", she said, cursing herself from being so slow and put her two finger inside the man's bloody mouth and grabbed his tongue. It was slippery but stayed in her grasp.

"You did good job, Kagome", Kikyo said while held the man. Kagome laughed unhappily.

"I tried."

"I still do not understand why he is juddering", Kikyo muttered and watched the man, hoping he would get help soon. She couldn't help him a lot when she didn't have her proper equipment but she could ease his pain. Kikyo closed her eyes and focused all her powers to help the man.

Kagome watched while her sister started glow lightly pink, looking like saving angel. Man didn't stop his juddering but it wasn't so strong anymore.

All I could do was just bandage him and find one herb, she thought bitterly. I'm worthless.

Then her eyes widened. She knew why he was juddering and shaking so much. Without a word she grabbed the bandages on man's stomach with her left arm and teared them apart. Kikyo noticed what she was doing and stopped glowing.

"Kagome! What are you-" but she trailed off when her little sister grabbed herb from his stomach and threw it away. Then she took bloody bandages and pressed them back against his stomach, Kikyo looking her frowning. "Kagome what was that?"

"Herb", she breathed. "I thought that it was the one which could block the bleeding but because of it he started juddering."

And now he might have inflammation, Kikyo added in her thoughts.

If this man dies, Kagome thought, her eyes coming teary. it's my fault.


Night had come. Kagome sat on the grass, her back against the hut's wall where injured man was. He really had been near the death mostly because of her, Kikyo didn't need to tell that. She knew it too well by herself.

Again she leaned her ear against the wall, listening what those men spoke about inside the hut. There were in high station in the village.

"Where is Kikyo-sama?" asked Kento.

"She said she would be back soon. She wanted to talk to Hiromi-san."

"I trust Kikyo-sama", said Torai. "With everything I have. Without her this village would not be what it is today. But still... I think she protects Kagome-san too dearly."

Kagome's eyes turned painful from what she heard.

"Hai. This poor man could have died today because of her."

"Even my daughter knows what Agrimony looks like", sighed Shun.

"Unfortunately I think that all Kagome-san can ever do is help others with their chores", ended Torai their conversation. The hut fell silent and men stared stranger whose body had been bandaged almost everywhere. He was still unconscious but alive. Then Kikyo stepped inside, her face tired and miko outfit stained in dry blood.

"Oh Kikyo-sama!" said Kento and she nodded to men for greeting.

"I see that you want to talk to me", she said, her voice calm.

"Hai", Shun nodded, stroking his smal gray beard. "We are thinking who could have cause this."

"Well", Kikyo said and knelt beside the man who lay on the sleeping mat. "his wounds are very serious. Something very sharp and powerful has done them."

"Animal?" asked Kento frowning.

"Probably", answered Shun.

"What is your opinion, Torai-san?" asked Kikyo from bald man who had been quiet for a while. He was the oldest of them.

"I am thinking of Orochi-san", he said.

"Orochi-san?" repeated Shun confused.

"The storyteller Orochi-san?" asked Kento.

Torai nodded. "They are no humans", he whispered, repeating storyteller's words.

Kikyo's eyes widened, horror in her face.


Can u believe it? There really is a herb named Agrimony which is used to bleeding wounds! Fucking amazing! xD

U wanna spoiler? Inuyasha will be in next chapter! ^^ I'll try to write it when I can, I promise.

Please review.

onesan=big sister

hai=yes

arigato=thank u

nani=what

kami-sama=god