I'm back with another chapter! Sorry folks, I know my chapters are short. But, I know myself, and if I try to take on too big of a writing project, I get discouraged and don't finish it. If I keep my chapters short, they'll feel doable to me, and I'll keep at them and finish the story.
My dear husband & beta reader is busy with finals this week, so this chapter comes to you raw. If you notice mistakes, please let me know about them, and I'll try to get them fixed. Thanks!
Many thanks again to those of you who reviewed last chapter. You make it so much more fun to write the next chapter. :)
o
Disclaimer: Inuyasha & co aren't mine.
o
o
o
o
o
o
Chapter 10: Some Strange Fate
The first morning when Kagome didn't return, Kaede felt a twinge of worry. She went about her day's work, expecting to see a bleary-eyed Kagome arrive home any moment. When the second morning arrived with still no sign of the girl, Kaede began to worry in earnest. Her regular routine was abandoned, in favor of combing the forest, visiting Kagome's favorite haunts and searching for signs of where the girl was at.
The willow tree by the bend in the river, with it's thick crooked branching hanging over the water like a perfect seat, produced nothing. The berry patch with it's thick brambles and unexpected pathways was equally vacant. Even the long narrow clearing, with the homely targets made of bales of hay, where Kagome would often go to practice when she needed to work off frustration, showed no signs of Kaede's ward.
She did encounter an area broken wood and torn grass that indicated the site of a battle with a large creature, but the damage was old and matched what Kagome had told Kaede about her adventures coming home from the village. The faint lingering tingle, a tell-tale sign of a jewel shard having been and gone, confirmed that this was indeed the site of the battle Kagome had spoken of.
Kaede pondered briefly as she stood among the wreckage of the battle. If Kagome had been attacked by another demon, surely Kaede's powers would have alerted her to the creature's presence. Kaede felt equally sure that if Kagome had been hurt, she would know it. Her bond to the girl had grown incredibly strong of the years.
Kagome was a sweet and innocent person, friendly and outgoing. She wasn't the sort of person to spend days sulking in the woods alone. Finally, Kaede concluded that if Kagome had been alone, she would have come home by now. That meant that she was with people, and the only people around were in the local village.
Kaede returned home to her small cot, feeling acutely it's ringing emptiness as she gathered the necessary supplies for a day's journey. When she had her small bundle of necessary items together in a small sack, she headed out. Just before leaving, she paused and added her money sack to the other items. If Kagome had found shelter with one of the village families and was staying in hiding, it might take her more than a day to find her.
The walk to the village was hard on Kaede's aging body, and her bones ached by the time the first homes came into view. Grimly she walked on, determined to find Kagome as quickly as possible.
She asked first in the marketplace, and quickly found out that Kagome had indeed visited several stalls the day she had gone to the village. No one had seen her that night, or anytime since then, however. Abandoning the market, she began traveling down side streets, questioning by passers and knocking on doors. A few kind concerned people offered to help her search, and she gladly accepted their offers. The quicker she found Kagome, the better. One mother, concerned but unable to help due to the several small children clinging to her skirts, asked if Kaede had checked the local inn. Kaede hadn't, but after a moment recalled that Kagome would have had a little extra money left over from the market visit, so she thanked the woman and hurried to the inn.
The innkeeper was busy serving guests, and at first only listened to her with half an ear. He gave her his full attention, however, when he heard that a girl was missing.
"Let's see," he said, scratching behind one ear as he thought. "I've had a lot of people through lately, but there was one that might have been your little miss. The night before last she was here. She was with another fellow, and a strange sort of character he was. He always kept his hood up, even inside. He didn't like it when people stared too much, either. Anyway, he reserved a room earlier in the day, but he came back that night and said he needed another room, for the girl he had with him. I remember it because I was surprised by the girl."
"What did the girl look like?" Kaede questioned.
"She didn't let me get a good look at her, but I'd say she was around fifteen years old, with black hair and fair skin."
Kaede nodded. That could very well describe Kagome. "And that man she was with?"
"Well, I would say that he wasn't much older than the girl, but then, it's hard to tell age with demons. He might have been 200 for all I know, really."
Kaede made a noise of surprise. "She was with a demon, you say?"
"Well," paused the innkeeper. "Hum....I thought he was human at first, but the more I think about it, the more I believe he was actually a demon. There's not many human boys running around with white hair like that. His eyes were funny, too. I didn't get a good look at them, but they were some sort of yellow I think. Brown eyes don't look that light under a cloak. He had at least some demon blood in him, anyway."
"Did either of them tell you their names?" Kaede pressed.
"Sorry, neither of them did."
"Are they still here? Can you show me to them?"
The innkeeper shook his head. "Sorry, madam. They only stayed one night, they left before dawn yesterday morning. I didn't even have the fire going in the common room yet when they headed out."
Kaede sighed, troubled. "One last question, then, and I thank you for your help. Did they tell you where they were going?"
"They didn't tell me for sure where they were going, but I watched them out the door, and it looked like they were headed west."
Kaede nodded and thanked the man again. "You've been a great help to me, you have my most profound gratitude," she told the man.
Kaede shook her head as she put her feet on the road leading west. "Could it be that some strange fate has pulled Kagome and Inuyasha together?" she asked herself.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Inuyasha led the group through the thickening forest, occasionally using Tetsusaiga to hack away some offending branch or other. Kagome followed behind with Miroku. They walked side by side, at Kagome's insistence. Every once in awhile, Miroku rubbed a sore spot. He was developing several bruises, he noticed. What a temper Inuyasha had! Admittedly, his friend had restrained himself, but still!
Kagome watched Miroku and winced in sympathy for him. Her sympathy didn't extend to allowing him to walk behind and watch her rear as they traveled, but she still felt for him.
Up ahead, Inuyasha paused and turned back to his companions. "Hey, there's a bit of a clearing up ahead. What do you say we make use of it and have ourselves some lunch?"
"Lets!" said Miroku
"Definitely" chimed in Kagome.
"Hurry up then!" called back Inuyasha, as he went ahead. The other two quickened their steps, and soon found themselves in a small green meadow. The sound of flowing water let them know there was even a river nearby.
"So," said Kagome, "What's for lunch?"
The two men turned to stare at her, and Kagome soon began to wonder if she'd asked a stupid question. The problem became clear when Inuyasha spoke up. "Whatever you make us, of course."
"But, but," sputtered Kagome with the beginnings of anger.
"Don't worry," continued Inuyasha. "Miroku's carrying everything you need to cook with."
Kagome turned a heated glare on him. "What?" he asked, with typical arrogance. Kagome continued to glare at him until his expression darkened and he started glaring back. A moment longer, and then she turned her stormy gaze on Miroku. The monk was unconsciously rubbing at his bruised shoulder, and Kagome, seeing it, felt a bit of her anger slip away. After all, it could be considered her fault that Miroku had gotten whacked by Inuyasha. Maybe he deserved a break.
Kagome's stomach growled, reminding her that she did want something to eat fairly soon. Suddenly, it occurred to her to wonder what kind of meal she'd get if she allowed Inuyasha to cook. Kagome felt a small shudder go through her. "All right," she relented. "Miroku, show me the cooking gear."
Forty minutes later found Kagome at the nearby river, washing out the pots she'd used. Have a nice warm meal in her tummy did wonders for Kagome's state of mind, and she hummed happily to herself as she scrubbed away. The men were still in the clearing, finishing putting away the rest of the things they'd used during the meal.
"Hey," Inuyasha's voice came from the direction of the clearing. Kagome sat up and looked back. Inuyasha stood at the top of the small rise that hid the clearing from view of the river. "Are you almost done with that last pot?"
"Yeah, I'll be right there."
The widening of Inuyasha's eyes gave Kagome a split second's warning, before she was seized from the side in the mouth of some large creature. It's jaws clamped over her midsection, squeezing the air out of her, even as her eyes pricked with tears at the pain of several teeth pressing painfully into her skin.
The creature didn't break it's stride in the least when it grabbed Kagome, and within seconds they were well out of sight of the river. At last Kagome regained her breath, and let out a shrill scream. The creature shifted her in its mouth a little, rolling her so that the teeth bit into new spots, and the scream choked off in a sob. When the pain subsided enough to allow another breath, Kagome prepared to scream again.
Before she'd even started, the creature suddenly opened it's mouth. Kagome dropped to the ground, her momentum causing her to roll in the dirt until she was stopped rather forcefully by a tree.
Kagome drew two long, shuddering breaths, and then painfully opened her eyes. The underside of the creature's jaw was the first thing she saw. She jerked to a sitting position, tears flowing down her cheeks as various muscles complained loudly. She let out a sob of relief when she saw that the head was severed, the creature was dead. Looking beyond the head, she saw Inuyasha, holding a blood smattered sword and breathing heavily, standing among the scattered remains of the beast's body.
Kagome returned her attention to the head, and was for the first time able to take note of what kind of creature had attacked her. It was hard to tell without the body, but the head looked like some sort of giant iguana creature.
The head suddenly moved, the mouth opening slightly, and Kagome jumped back with a quick high scream. Trembling, she watched the head, jerking every time a scaled muscle twitched. Her eyes darted over it, and suddenly she realized she was seeing the glow of a jewel shard. She swallowed her fear and edged towards the head, getting just close enough to extract the shard.
The flesh evaporated off the creature's skull as soon as the jewel was removed. Kagome felt the tension leave her as her attacker dissolved into the wind. She felt her mind darken and her body start to sway. She stayed conscious just long enough to register warm arms wrap around her, before she passed into oblivion.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Kaede followed the road winding west, and reached the next town by nightfall. The town was abuzz with talk, and it took her all of five minutes to hear the story of how the town had been rescued by Prince Inuyasha, and his companions, the monk Miroku and the priestess Kagome, who had left town that morning, and had been seen entering the woods to the west.
o
o
o
o
o
o
I hope you've enjoyed this chapter! Please R & R!
Thanks all!
-Silvanon