"My work here is done." stated Kauri, smirking evily as she dissappeared in a cloud of miasma.
When the three friends reached Kagome and Shippo, it was already clear she was unconcious. Kagome had a large mark on her back from the attack, that had also burnt its way through her shirt. Her face was badly cut up and so were her legs and arms. Nothing extremely serious but that still wasn't the point. Picking her up bridal style, Inuyasha tried waking her, forgetting all about Shippo in her arms.
"Kagome?! Oi, Kagome! Come on Wake up!" he cried, shaking her gently.
A small moan was heard and the Hanyou's ears shot up, but soon returned to their flat state when Shippo's head popped out from under her arm.
"Shippo! Are you okay?" asked Sango, taking him away from the unconcious Miko.
The tiny demon rubbed his head and winced in pain when his claws came into contact with a small lump.
"Ouch!" he yelped "W-what happened? Why does my head hurt?"
"There's no time to explain now, we've got to get Lady Kagome to Kaede's!" exclaimed Miroku "Inuyasha, you..."
As the Houshi turned to face the Hanyou, he found he was already gone. This was not surprising. Inuyasha was always in a hury if it was to do with Kagome. She could have a splinter in her thumb and he would be all over her like she lost a leg.
"Sango, we must hurry. We have no idea what kind of incantation Kauri made and what affects it may have." he said, shaking his head in worry. "Lets just hope it's something either Kagome's or Kaede's Miko powers can defeat..."
Inuyasha was already over half the way to the village where Kaede lived. His eyes averted now and then to the limp form in his arms. A tiny trail of blood was rolling down her face from a cut she gained on her forehead. Her lip was bust and it looked like she already had a black eye coming through. If anything she looked as though she'd been beaten. Thats when his panic levels rose higher.
"What if they think i did this to her?! What if they try to take her away from me, thinking that i beat her? Surely they'd know i would never hurt Kagome. I've just got to risk it. I'm not going to loose her this way...Come on Kagome, at least open your eyes so i know your okay...Please.."
Kagome was in her own world. Images upon images flashed in her mind. All of them familiar but she couldn't understand how she knew them. Trying as hard as she could to remember what they were she felt a burning sensation on her back.
"AAAAAHHHHH!!" she screamed, making Inuyasha nearly miss the branch he was jumping for.
"Kagome! Kagome, what is it?!" he asked, still running as fast as he could while reframing from causing her any more pain.
But her screams continued. Inuyasha was nearing Kaede's hut when the old Miko came out. She knew they were on their way, She could feel their aura's from quite a distance away, but the reason was still a mystery. Hearing Kagome's screams of pain told her everything she needed to know. Quickly setting things up, ready to treat Kagome's wounds, Kaede waited patiently outside.
"Kaede..." Inuyasha began, Kagome still screaming horifically.
"Get her inside, i have prepared everything."
Kagome couldn't take it anymore. The pain was unbearable. The images flashed one after the other and refused to stop. Thats when it clicked. She recognised the girl in the images. It was her...
Kagome started to thrash around. Inuyasha pinned her down firmly, but gently as not to hurt her. He had no idea what was happening but all he knew was that he wanted her to be okay. The old Miko cleaned the wounds as best as she could and applied some medicinal herb in order for quick healing.
"Inuyasha, ye need to turn her over. I need to treat her back wounds." said Kaede.
Carfully he turned her over, still having to keep her from thrashing around. What was going on? Kagome had received much more serious wounds before but she had never reacted like this. Finally having her lying on her stomach Kaede cleaned her back wounds. Her back was covered in scortch marks. Inuyasha could hear inbetween her cries the sucking of breath as the balm Kaede had made came into contact with her badly burnt skin.
"Kaede, thats enough. Its hurting her!" he pleaded, turning her over so that she was now layed on her back again.
"Inuyasha, if i do not treat her wounds properly they could get infected and she will be in a much worse state. Do ye wish that upon Kagome?" she replied, her voice stern.
The Hanyou flattened his ears lower and looked away. He hated hearing her cries of pain and hated it even more that she was in this condition because of him.
"If only i got to her faster. Then i would have been hit, and not her. Kagome, please forgive me...I...I never ment for this to happen."
His thoughts were brought to a hault as Kagome's screams stopped suddenly. Her eyes were wide, but blank.
"Kaede...Whats happening? Whats wrong with her?!"
The old Miko placed her hand on Kagome's forehead. She snapped it back quickly and held it to her chest.
"W-what?! Whats the matter?!" shouted the concerned Hanyou.
"Inuyasha, get me some blankets. Ye need to hurry, child!" she replied.
"Use this, its warmer." he snorted, ripping of his kimono jacket and wrapping it around Kagome.
As soon as the jacket was securly wrapped around her, Inuyasha held her close and rocked back and forth lightly. He had no idea why he was doing it but he'd seen Kagome do it with Shippo when he was hurt and it always seemed to calm him down.
"Kaede, she's not warming up..." he said, straining under the pressure of holding his emotions back.
"Talk to her Inuyasha. Ye never know, it may call her back from where ever it is she has gone to." came the old Miko's reply.
Inuyasha gazed down at the girl in his hold. Her lips were turning a light shade of blue and her eyes had closed. Her breathing was shallow and at times it was bearly noticable. Thinking it wouldn't hurt to try, Inuyasha brought her ear his his lips and spoke softly.
"Kagome...Please come back to me...I...I need you.." he said, a single tear dropping from his golden orbs.
The tear rolled down his cheeks and dropped off his chin, landing on Kagome's cheek. He could feel her heart beat slow and her breathing become not existant. He was about to give up all hope when he felt something strange. Kagome's body pulsed.
"Kagome?"
As he called out her name, a blinding light flooded the tiny hut. He could feel her body change in his embrace and let out a shocked cry in respone. When the light dissapated all that was left in his arms was his kimono jacket. Kagome was no where to be seen.
"Kagome? KAGOME!!" he yelled.
Kaede stared at the bundle of cloth on his lap. She could see something black on the sleeve. It looked like...hair.
"Inuyasha, what is that?" she asked, reaching forward to touch the mysterious black thing that was umoungst this cloth of the fire rat.
Inuyasha watched as the old woman pulled at his jacket. His eyes grew wide as to what was revealed when she removed the clothing from his lap. A small gasp left her mouth. Curled up in his lap was a small child. But this child was no ordinary child. It was Kagome.
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