Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot and other characters.
The Wolf and the Hedgebat
Chapter 7: Close Call
Back to Inuyasha and his friends…night has fallen and the group has set up camp near the youkai wolf tribe's cave. Shippou and Kirara had already fallen asleep.
"Do we have to stay close to wimpy wolf's cave?" Inuyasha complained, "I can't stand their stench!" Miroku replied by telling him to stop complaining and that it was Kouga's request. The hanyou countered by saying it was probably because Isis had left them and he might use the chance to flirt with Kagome. "I don't think so…he stopped going for me ever since she showed up," said Kagome. "I wonder where she few off to…" wondered Sango, "She must be feeling kinda lonely by now." As if he was there listening to the conversation, Kouga approached them. "Actually, she doesn't mind being alone at times," he explained, taking a seat with them, "She's used to it." Miroku wasn't convinced, suggesting that maybe Naraku was planning to use this opportunity to get her; Kagome couldn't help but wonder the same thing. "I feel like a worried parent whenever I think of her," she sighed. Inuyasha decided to look up at the sky…and saw Kagura. "What the…what's Kagura up to?" he asked. Kouga looked up and suddenly became alert. "She's probably after Isis!" he claimed, "I gotta stop her!" and began to run in the same direction Kagura had gone. "You guys stay where you are! I'll handle this!" he shouted in the distance. "If you say so," replied Inuyasha as he shrugged; the others agree with him.
Several miles away…Isis made a hasty landing on the ground after surviving an ambush from a swarm of saimyoushou. She managed to eliminate all but one, which successfully stung her in the heart. Staring at her reflection in a nearby river, she sighed sadly as she imagined Terios sneering at her. "Why?" she cried out as she clawed at the water's surface, intending to wipe out her brother's image.
"Still alive after that ambush?" asked Kagura, earning a glare from Isis, "The poison should've gotten you by now." Isis boasted that the poison was too weak for her…but whimpered silently, admitting that their stings hurt. "I thought so," replied Kagura. Walking and kneeling before her, she added, "You know…the poison gets stronger in the presence of miasma." Isis' eyes widened as she gasped, learning of the dangerous threat she was placed in. "An effective weapon, don't you think?" continued her adversary. The miasma's still in my body! Isis screamed mentally, whimpering in pain. "I could get it out…" offered Kagura, "But only if you come with me." Isis tried to crawl away instead, collapsing seconds later. "I'd rather die…" panted the hedgebat, "But I can't." As she coughed out a little blood, she added, "I'm…immortal," and winced as the pain intensified. Kagura was impressed – an immortal hedgebat would make an interesting ally. Picking up the weakened hedgebat, she stood up…only to be ordered to put her down by a protective wolf youkai. She turned and glared at him. Kouga! Isis praised as she recognized his voice; biting Kagura's arm, she got dropped to the ground and wasted no time in dragging herself to him. Kagura looked at the fresh bite wound. "Even in a poisoned state, your bite is still quite strong," she commented, watching Kouga pick up the hedgebat. "Give it up, wolf boy. She deserves to be with her brother," she claimed. "In your (beep) dreams!" he countered, "I won't let her side with Naraku." He then followed a buzzing saimyoushou as it floated behind Kagura. Go back without her? she thought, Very well. Taking out a feather, she flew away as if my magic.
Kouga ignored her and looked at Isis, who's suddenly shivering and sweating as she managed to whisper, "The poison and miasma…I can't stand it much longer." Shocked when he heard her words, he hurriedly ran back home, holding the sick hedgebat close to his chest.
Minutes later… "Guys, she needs help!" shouted Kouga, startling Shippou and Kirara awake as he nearly stepped on them. Inuyasha placed a hand over Isis' forehead and said, "She's burning up. What happened to her?" and the wolf youkai explained everything while Kagome prepared some medicine. As they brought her into the cave, all Kouga could think was, Will she be okay?
Meanwhile…Naraku is holding another meeting with Kagura and Terios. "She was badly poisoned," reported Kagura, "But that wolf youkai arrived before I could take her away." Terios growled angrily upon his sister's refusal, slowly transforming into a demon hedgebat as his anger intensified. "Calm down," ordered Naraku, "Save your energy for later." Terios immediately relaxed and detransformed. "My sister's tougher than I thought," he said, "But she'll probably back down because of this…" and transformed into something more powerful and dangerous than before, earning a smirk from Naraku.
