Chapter 10:

Frenetic

—adjective

1. frantic; frenzied.

I exist to kill every human but myself, fight only for myself, live and love only myself. "Friend" is just a word, it means, nothing."

"How terrible!" Kagome thought pityingly.

She heard bones snap, felt crushing pain, couldn't breath, her hands were wet with blood, she couldn't move, even so, she cried for the boy, through her tears she saw grainy images, shared or imagined, of a baby, too tiny to feasibly survive, a lonely child she wanted to comfort, and the boy who was losing his soul to the creature inside him.

It was dry and hot when Kagome opened her eyes, to the inside of a makeshift tent, where she'd slept on a threadbare blanket , wearing fresh cloths and bandages.

"You're awake." A girl entered the tiny shelter. "You're lucky to be alive. I'm Hotaru."

"Kagome." With that her throat felt like it'd been torn open and scrubbed with sandpaper.

"Drink , you'll feel better." Hotaru put a cup into her hands.

"Ruined." She sighed, lamenting Kagome's shredded cloths, throwing them into the garbage.

"No!" Kagome protested. "Not the robe."

The girl looked at the bloodstained Fire-Rat with distain, then back at her. "But it's filthy."

"Please." She begged.

"Fine. let me wash it first."

Appeased, Kagome lay down. It was quiet chaos outside till the sound of hurried footsteps disrupted her peace.

"She's resting!" Hotaru's cry alerted her to a man entering her tent. She shut her eyes, feigning asleep.

"She's a witness." The man countered.

"Wake up." He ordered, nudging her bare foot with his shoe. She sat up and looked at him. He held up her backpack. "Is this yours?" She nodded, and he dropped it in her lap.

He was tall, with a flack jacket and a turban that hung over the left side of his face, the hitai-ate over it bore the image of an hourglass on its plate.

"I am Baki, a Jōnin from Sunagakure. You were seen chasing two men believed to be involved in the attacks into the area where you were found. I need to know your information, why you were there and a testimony of the events witnessed. Name?"

"Higurashi Kagome."

"Age?"

"Fifteen."

"Place of residence?"

Hotaru reentered, throwing the Fire-Rat at her and stuffing it's contents into her pack, it became evident that she did not like the man being there, showing her contempt by hindering his investigation.

"Come with me." Baki Ordered.

Her stomach flipped unpleasantly. "Why?"

"Privacy. Get ready to leave, I'll meet you outside." A moment later his silhouette could be seen standing guard outside.

"Here, eat while I gather your things." Hotaru murmured.

"Thanks for everything." Kagome whispered back.

"Don't get me wrong, you're trouble, however I'm not heartless. Anyway, be careful around shinobi, don't lie or test their patience." She warned, pulling from her sleeve a black obi, tying it firmly around her middle to keep the robe in place. "Since you're so intent on wearing this horrid thing, might as well make it look nice."

"It's special." Kagome explained.

"Better be, Now put these on." Hotaru ordered, throwing her a pair of black sandals. Kagome pulled them on, smiling gratefully.

"Just go!" Hotaru barked returning her yellow backpack and shoving her out the door.

Backi led her away from all the peering eyes and whispered questions. When they reached camp his subordinates stared with shock and agitation.

"No way!" Kankuro groused,

"Impossible!" Temari reached for her fan.

"Enough!" Baki stepped between them and the injured girl. "What's going—"

"You shouldn't've survived, my Sand Coffin." Gaara appeared before them, grinning frenetically.

Again his hands manipulated the sand, surrounding her in a typhoon of earthen granules, striking at irregular intervals.

"You! you really were trying to kill me weren't you?" Kagome demanded indignantly.

In response he struck again, but at every turn sand met his, blow for blow, protecting her, a will apart from his own guarded her life. Hurriedly, She stumbled through his his barrage.

Faced with her would-be killer, she slapped him. "Stop it! " Grabbing his shirt she smiled a gentle smile. "Don't let the thing inside take control."

Unnoticed Baki knocked her unconscious. "Explain, what happened earlier?"

700 Words

Author's Note:

This count won't be regular, but I will reach this when the story needs to move along or on special occasions, like this chapter.

-Anil