34 - Predator or Prey?

A few days before...

I realized it was going on eight days now since I left, meaning I had already broke my promise to Kagome. I had followed hints from the locals all the way out to the northern point of the main island, where I found nothing but a bunch of choppy water. I was heading back south when a short guy wandering around in the middle of nowhere told me there had been an 'ominous disturbance' in Yamagata.

I was beginning to think it was impossible to find this slippery bastard. I knew I would be able to tell when he was around because of his suffocating aura, but he didn't show up anywhere. When the Yamagata thing turned out to be a joke, I decided to get some sleep a little ways outside the town before I would head back the next day.

I took off my robe of the fire rat and sprawled out on a grassy hill below the stars. Not moving around constantly finally gave my guilt the opportunity to catch up with me. Kagome was probably having a fit right now, not getting any sleep, wondering how I broke my promise, and how she was going to 'sit' me all the way to hell when I got back tomorrow. The thought made me smile for some reason.

At least she was safe. As much as I hated being away from her, it was for the best. By going to find this guy before he were to find out she's alive, I lower the chances of her getting hurt. He will think I'm coming after him to avenge her death, and won't be able to catch on before I backlash-wave his ass to the moon.

Then, just maybe then, I can get some damn peace and quiet. I mean, I wasn't asking for a perfect, violence-free life-style or world peace or anything. I just wanted to go a few months without there being some calamity I had to fix. Of course I wanted Kagome to be happy and comfortable too. How can she enjoy her house or friends if she's scared for her life all the time? I didn't want her to be afraid anymore.

I couldn't help imagining, once Kagome and I finally had the chance to talk things over, will we…commit? Should I ask her to marry me? Or is it too soon? She was only 19, and I realized it was probably more nerve-racking for her than it was for Sango. Hell, Kagome freaks out when I kiss her for God-sakes. But I wasn't getting any younger. As far as I was concerned, those fifty years I spent bound to a tree were still years. That made me over 70 years old! Any logical person would tell me to get a move on.

Maybe when I got home, I would explain the math to Kagome.

Suddenly, something in the air changed. It came out of nowhere, and the smell of death hit me like a wall of bricks. That was it! The suppressing aura! And it was close, getting closer and fast. I jumped to my feet, barely having enough time to draw my Tessaiga before the source of the demonic energy was right over me.

"Hello Inuyasha…" A voice hissed from the dark sky above me. "Looking for me?"