The sun had begun setting in the horizon causing slashes of pink, purple, and orange to dance across the sky. There were few clouds and a light breeze tickled the newly sprouted leaves on the trees in Inuyasha's camp. Kagome scanned the sky and sighed. She rarely had time these days to just sit and stare at nature and calm her racing nerves, which she had plenty of, being in the company of so many youkai.
She snuck away from Inuyasha while he saw to a petty argument between some of the newly arrived soldiers. They were having a hard time adjusting to a woman, Sango, giving them their orders. It would take little to convince them again, once Inuyasha beats some sense into them. Sango had much more experience with demon extermination than any of them. Her entire family lived for the purpose of killing demons; her rightful place was to lead the foot soldiers and teach them the easiest ways to slay demons while staying alive.
Kagome was perched on a small rock beneath a large tree that had begun to live again once Naraku and his minions left the area. She had the two pieces of the Staff of the Worlds leaning against her as she inspected them and tried to come up with ways to fit them together. It was becoming an exhausting task; they simply just didn't fit together. She couldn't figure out how it could be used anyway. It was beginning to become a waste of time and effort. How could this piece of ancient junk do anything?
It didn't take much for Kagome to give up on the Staff for a few moments. Her head had been hurting more and more lately and thinking never really helped. Rubbing her temples, she leaned further into the tree and sighed again. There was so much to think about, it was impossible to keep her mind from racing.
Naraku was first and foremost. He had almost the entire jewel shard; he could be ridiculously close to unleashing Hell on Earth while she and her companions were sitting around trying to figure out where he went. Kagome didn't think it would be too hard; follow the path of decay and destruction. Once they found him was what worried her. What were his plans and what would he do once they found him?
True, they had plenty of youkai to fight with them and thousands of dedicated soldiers. Well, she wouldn't exactly call them all soldiers, many were just villagers who had picked up a weapon for the first time, but they were steadily learning. Sango and Sanorai lead practices every day. The question was, would they be able to stop Naraku before he opened the Gate to Hell…… Once that was done, it wouldn't matter how many people they had fighting with them; all would be lost.
Kagome's ears perked at the sound of a bird squawking a few paces away. Lifting her eyes to the tree tops, there was a small bit of rustling and found a black bird jumping up and down on a tree branch. Kagome pushed herself off her rock and went to the tree. On the ground, under the bird, there was a folded piece of paper. When Kagome reached down to pick it up the bird flew off into the sky leaving her alone in the forest clearing once again.
Kagome carefully unfolded the note and tensed at what she read:
Kagome,
I am forced to write you this and I am sorry to put you in a bind. I have been captured by Naraku and he threatens to kill me if you do not present yourself to him. Follow the Raven when you are ready, just call to him. Please do not come, Kagome, I beg you. I will find my own way out. He lets me write this because he wants me to have hope. And I do hope. I pray that you will stay far away from here. Your death will be the death of Japan. You know which is more important.
Koga
Kagome clenched her fists and searched the area for the mysterious black bird that belonged to Naraku. She should have known, black birds were usually a negative fore warning. A small knot formed in the back of her throat and she choked back the tears that were forcing themselves to the surface.
"Damn you, Naraku. You know what I will choose!!" Kagome screamed into the trees. "Japan would mean nothing without my friends…."
"Who are you talking to, Kagome, and what do you mean?" Inuyasha asked.
Turning her head, Kagome scanned Inuyasha's face, as usual, filled with concern. This time he had need to concern, though. She would not let Naraku murder Koga. She wouldn't let him hurt any of her friends, not now, not ever. No one would die for her sake.
Kagome tossed the note to Inuyasha and watched his strained expression as he read it.
"You don't actually plan on going, right?" Inuyasha crumpled the note in his fist as he walked to Kagome. "Answer me, Kagome. You don't plan on believing this, right?"
Kagome's tears fell freely down her face and dripped off her chin. She couldn't leave Koga with Naraku, she just couldn't.
"No, you will not go! Naraku will kill Koga either way and you know that you are more important than one person….." Inuyasha pulled her into his arms and pressed her cheek against his shoulder. "He may not even have Koga. It's probably a ploy."
"I can't just leave him there, Inuyasha." Kagome mumbled through his haori. Her eyes searched his face for some type of understanding. She wanted him to understand why she couldn't leave Koga.
"Kagome, I will not let you hand yourself back to Naraku. I have only just gotten you back. We will find another way." Inuyasha said in voice nearing a whisper. "You will not go and that's final."
Kagome's eyes snapped to Inuyasha's face with a level look. "You will not tell me what I can and can't do, Inuyasha. I respect what you say, but I will not leave a friend to die because of me." Kagome wiped the tears from her cheeks and pushed away from Inuyasha. "I know we can find a way to make this work. I won't leave you, but this camp must move forward. We can't sit here any longer and wait for Naraku to make the first move. If we can catch him off guard, then maybe we can save Koga. He would be a valuable ally."
Inuyasha clenched his fists and glared at the ground. "We don't need Koga. But, if you promise to stay with me I will see that we move towards Naraku within the next few days. Don't you even think of running off in the night either, you will sleep beside me."
Kagome grumbled under her breath something about 'pigheaded youkai.' Raising her voice, Kagome jabbed her finger into his chest. "It would be indecent for me to sleep with you! I can't believe you even suggest it. I love you, but we are not married and I don't need anything else on my conscious." Kagome's cheeks colored as she thought back to that night with Sanorai. In her mind he was Inuyasha, so in truth, she felt like they had already been together in an indecent way. She would succumb to him too easily to be that close to him at night where she could hear his steady breathing and imagine his heart beat if her head laid on his chest.
"You will sleep with me and it is final. I refuse to let you sneak off into the night after someone who probably isn't even there. I don't care what you consider decent or indecent. You stay with me. It's no secret that you are mine." Inuyasha looped his arm through Kagome's and she stubbornly followed him back to camp dragging the staff pieces behind her.
She wished she could have made her decision without Inuyasha's input. Kagome didn't want to go against his wishes but if came down to Koga's life she would leave Inuyasha to save a friend. She hated to think that her life resorted in people becoming pawns on a board game; it took away life's value and she would never let that happen. There must be a way that she could save Koga and get away from Naraku with her life. Inuyasha would be unhappy, but there was nothing else she could do. Throwing someone's life away wasn't an option.
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"We need to have a meeting and talk about our plans. Inuyasha informed me today that he plans on moving forward as soon as possible. He wants to catch Naraku off guard." Sanorai explained as Gigi sat next to him patiently. She continued to rub her thumb over her bow until her skin cracked from splinters in the wood. It had become a nervous habit when she was around Sanorai and she rarely noticed until her thumb would ache.
Her golden hair was held back in a low pony tail trailing curls down her back. Gigi's strong eyes searched the ground trying to find anything to pull her attention away from Sanorai for just a few moments. She still hadn't forgiven him and she wasn't sure she ever could, but her heart continued to yearn for his touch. She tried to pretend that she didn't love him anymore but she could never bring herself to completely cut away from him. Sanorai apologized daily and consistently tried to envelope her with his embrace. Gigi just couldn't bring herself to give in even though she wanted to with all of her heart. Her mind fought her desires with every heart beat.
"Well, then plan it. Every one will come. I agree with Inuyasha, it's time to move forward and put an end to the madness that Naraku weaves into this world. You are an angel, Sanorai, you must not let Naraku destroy the pathway to Heaven or reincarnation. It's your duty." Gigi stretched out her legs and scanned over her new attire. Sanorai had acquired traveling breeches, a white pullover shirt, and soft suede boots that went to her knees. It was unusual clothing according to the Japanese style, but Sanorai said that he had seen women wear it in other places far away and that she would be more comfortable in them.
The breeches fit a little tight by Gigi's standards and the white shirt was so thin that it was almost transparent. Gigi almost refused to wear it the first time she noticed, but after a few days she admitted that it was much easier to fight in, giving her limbs their full range of motion.
"I know what my duty is, Gigi Gandore." Sanorai stated as he pushed himself into a standing position. Gigi's eyes widened and her mouth came open after she heard Sanorai say her full name. "Close your mouth before bugs become your dinner. Why are you so surprised? I have been meaning to give your last name back. You have never been a servant in my mind anyway, now it is official. You are your own person and always have been. Now you have your name as well."
Gigi used her bow as support as she pulled herself up on shaky knees. She never thought Sanorai would give her name back so freely. Servants were considered possessions and therefore the Masters took away their last names. Having your full name was an honor and officially meant she was released from servitude. She would have left anyway, with last name or not, but to have it freely was a boulder that Sanorai removed from her conscious. She had never heard of a Master releasing his servants, it was only in stories. Gigi's heart soared.
"I hope you don't plan on leaving me now. I need you. I know you will never forgive me, but I ask you to accept me." Sanorai untied his haori, exposing his large smooth chest. Slipping his arms out of the sleeves, Sanorai dropped it on the ground. Large wings spread out longer than his arm span, glittering different shades of white. "I am Sanorai, Angel, Protector of the Realms, Judge of the Dead, and Seeker of Forsaken Souls. I lay myself bare at your feet, Gigi Gandore. Accept me and walk beside me as long as we live."
Gigi's cheeks colored as she looked around murderously at the random array of soldiers who gawked at them from the side. Many turned tail and ran at her glare, while others smiled and hooted at Sanorai. Gigi raised her hand and angrily waved at them to leave, but it was too late really. The entire camp would hear fifty different versions of this story with Gigi smack in the middle before sunset.
"Sanorai," Gigi said through clenched teeth. "This is no time for us to discuss this. And you know you are not supposed to show your wings. People will ask questions; you don't exactly look like a bird youkai. We will talk after all of this with Naraku is done."
Sanorai's eyebrows drew low as he stalked to her with a scowl. Before she could turn around and stomp off, Sanorai swooped her into the crook of his arms and cradled her against his chest. "Now you listen to me, woman. I will not wait until later to discuss us. Later might be too late and I want to have you now."
His wings beat back and forth as they rose into the sky and hovered to the side of camp. Soldiers and youkai scurried around their tents and sleeping dens picking up the area and packing the horses which were hitched close by. They looked like small bugs from their height. Brown faded into green and the forest around them looked like it was recovering from a sickness. The sky was clear and only a few clouds dotted the blue, giving Sanorai and Gigi a full view of the land.
"Now we have no one to disturb us except the birds and I have a feeling they will stay clear of us. I need you to hear me out. I have been walking on egg shells with you since we left my palace. You know I have laid my heart at your feet and all you do is step lightly around it like it was never there at all. I want you, Gigi and only you. You must stop treating me like an enemy. You hardly even make eye contact with me anymore and if I see one more soldier try to make you his woman I will explode! I know you can take care of yourself, but I want to take care of you and protect you. I know you loved me once, please let me try to get you there again."
Gigi tilted her chin up enough to deliberately make eye contact. Her scowl became soft once she saw the pleading look on Sanorai's face. She had been putting off this conversation because she knew she would give in and all she wanted was to be mad. She found it harder and harder lately to stay angry when he looked at her with such sad eyes. He was an angel and last thing she wanted was to break his spirit. Maybe it was time for her to just give in. She had never stopped loving him, as much as she tried to push him from her heart; he always managed to squeeze back into the front of her mind.
Her cheeks burned the more she sunk into his sky blue orbs. His bare chest suddenly seemed incredibly smooth against her skin and her breathing became forced. It irritated her to know that he could jumble her nerves with a single look.
"Okay, Sanorai." Gigi squeaked. "I'm willing to try." She didn't want him to know her true feelings just yet. It would be embarrassing to admit that she acted foolish just to watch him squirm. "But, if you as much as look in the direction of another girl, I'm done. And don't come crying to me when I kick you on your ass." Gigi crossed her arms and gave him the hardest look she could muster from someone dangling in the air completely at the others mercy.
Sanoria's expression turned pleasant and he hugged her against his chest a little tighter. "Thank you." Sanoria's relief was evident and written across his face. The tension in his arms softened and light danced across his eyes. Gigi's own tension melted in his embrace as they glided back to the ground. She hardly even noticed or cared about the soldiers staring and pointing at them as they floated through the sky.
It didn't take long for her to regain her bearing once her feet touched solid Earth. They still needed to meet with the others and figure out their plan. "Let's head to Inuyasha's tent. We have much to discuss. Now don't think you are completely forgiven. You have plenty to make up for. You are very lucky that the bond between you and Kagome has broken. It would be a shame to have to stay near someone you don't love because of a mistake. A very big mistake, I might add." Gigi looked down her nose and then went to Inuyasha's tents with Sanorai on her heels.
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"I had suspected you were an Angel, Sanorai. Your name tickled at my memory. Sanorai of the Moon, is that what I hear villagers whisper in the night?" Corba sat relaxed with his legs crossed and arms drooped over is knees. He reminded Rin of Seshoumaru because he looked at ease but he would pounce with deadly accuracy with little more than a seconds warning.
Kagome and Inuyasha sat to the side together quietly talking of battle plans. Inuyasha constantly shook his head and pointed at the sleeping bag next to him while she scowled. Rin had no idea why they had been fighting so much this morning but it didn't surprise her. Inuyasha was probably just as hard to live with as Seshoumaru.
Seshoumaru sat leaned against a tree with a stone cold face. A person who didn't know him would think he wasn't paying a lick of attention to the conversations around him, but Rin knew that every word was chiseled in his brain. Every time Rin glanced at her Rikosama peeking out of his haori, Seshoumaru's yellow eyes chilled and Rin could swear that icicles hung from his chin.
Miroku and Sango sat together with a new acquaintance, Shinoba. He seemed to follow Sango every where she went like a small puppy. Miroku tried to ignore it but sometimes Rin noticed he was in a poor mood after a conversation with Shinoba.
Gigi sat with her bow over her shoulder next to Sanorai. Color bloomed across her cheek bones anytime anyone made eye contact. The entire camp saw Sanorai fly her off into the sky, Rin wondered why and what happened for her to be so embarrassed. Rin loved to fly with Seshoumaru; she could see the whole world when they soared through the sky together.
Tan and Sakura were a new addition to the group that made battle decisions. Tan had been around and seen many battles and many life times. His knowledge was valuable and his opinion, though often negative, was right on. Tan and Sakura were a good match and were very accurate when fighting together. Every suggestion was needed.
"Ahh and you are Corba, the very one villagers speak of in bed time stories?" Sanorai snapped at the panther demon. "I think we have more important matters to discuss than childish fantasies."
"I was merely pointing out the obvious after your earlier charade. I'm just glad to know that we have a few strong allies. I don't wish to lose this battle. I plan on living for many more years." Corba winked at Gigi with a devious smile.
"You won't live too much longer if you don't keep your gestures to yourself, Corba." Sanorai boomed and unconsciously stroked his hand over his sword hilt.
Gigi lifted an eyebrow and looked at Sanorai and Corba questioningly. These situations were bound to arise in a group full of strong minded youkai. Rin was just thankful that Seshoumaru stayed in his own bubble for the time being. She was still irritated with him about her weapon but she had no notions of sticking herself between him and Corba like jam between bread. She would surely get eaten alive.
Rin slowly scooted toward Seshoumaru. She hated to admit that he was a small comfort at some miniscule level. But if a battle broke out, she would rather be next or behind him rather than in the middle.
"Enough! It's time we move on! Sanorai and Sango, you know you are in charge of getting the troops ready to go. Tan and Sakura you have offered your services too, as scouts. We will need you to stay slightly a head of the soldiers and report back if anything is found. Corba, you would also be a useful scout if you would give your services." Inuyasha paused to look at the odd bunch around him. Tilting his head, he peered back at Kagome sitting on the ground. "We have heard news that Naraku has taken prisoners. He has demanded that Kagome be handed over in exchange for their lives."
"No, you cannot go, Kagome." Gigi said in shock.
All around them, their friends shook their heads and exclaimed that she could not go to him.
Kagome's face turned dark as she glared at the back of Inuyasha's head. "We have decided that I am not going to go. As you can see I am not happy about letting friends die. So we must leave immediately and at least try to save who we can."
Inuyasha pointed to each person in turn as he told them to watch her and make sure she doesn't run off in the dark. He had become prickly over her well being. She rarely escaped a few moments without him glued to her side. Rin had pointed out to her a few days earlier that she might as well sew their hips together. Kagome's response was not kind. Rin snickered under her breath.
"We leave at first light tomorrow. Everything must be ready. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to tell us. We need all the help we can get. This battle could very well determine Japans future." Inuyasha dismissed every one as he went back to Kagome's side. Rin figured he would stay very close to her if he thinks she plans on running to Naraku. It would be unwise of Kagome to do such a thing. Naraku will kill his prisoners anyway and Kagome is too valuable to our side.
Rin felt Seshoumaru rise and brush past her. "Hey! Where are you going Seshoumaru-sama." Rin wondered if she could grab her Rikosama and run, but she knew that would never work. He was too fast and she would just get punished after.
Seshoumaru's face displayed zero emotion, Rin was used to his blank expressions and rarely did it faze her. "Where ever I wish to go, Rin." He said without turning his face to hers.
Rin clenched her fists and followed nearly stepping on his kimono. "Then I will follow." She would bother him because she could and maybe he would get tired enough of her to just give back her weapon. He was going to have to sooner then later anyway. She would need it for battle.
"There is no need for you to follow me. Go back into camp and pack your things." Seshoumaru stated flatly. Rin could almost see the icicles forming along his chin again. She inwardly smiled and continued to steadily walk behind him.
"I have already packed. I decided that I will spend the rest of the day with you. We haven't spent enough time together and if I might die tomorrow I would like to spend today with you." Seshoumaru stopped walking and slowly faced Rin who gave him an impish grin and shrugged her shoulders. She wouldn't let him bully her into going back to camp. She wanted to see what he was up to.
"You will not die tomorrow or anytime soon. Go back to camp." Seshoumaru adjusted his kimono and headed back towards the forest.
"You can't get rid of me that easily Seshoumaru-sama. I'm tired of always doing what you say!" Rin yelled at his back.
Seshoumaru whirled around and wrapped his hands around her shirt and lifted her off the ground. Sticking his nose in her face, his eyes became fire. "Do as I say." He growled.
"No!"Rin choked. It took all of the strength she had left to breath that word. Her knees were shaking and she could see the sun glinting off his teeth. His eyes burned through her soul and she couldn't figure out how she was even breathing.
Seshoumaru released his grip and dropped her on her butt and walked off. "Fine," Rin squealed. "I will see what Corba's doing today!"
Seshoumaru growled in the distance and faded behind the trees as Rin dejectedly stomped back towards camp muttering something about 'stupid youkai.'
Okay, another chapter done! I hope everybody had a fabulous thanksgiving! Please enjoy and review! Obey the Button!! ~Lou