Chapter 52
Inuyasha followed Shippo and Izuma into the forest and up the mountain. The couple held hands as they came to the open field a few yards away from the hot spring. Inuyasha leaped up into a tree and watched as Izuma removed Osanti from its sheath. Shippo sat off to the side and watched as she swung it around over her head. She aimed at a nearby tree and struck it, leaving a huge gash in its bark. At least she could aim well. His pup was never going to get anywhere with the way she was using that weapon.
Inuyasha jumped down from his perch and walked into the clearing. "You need to put your weight into the sword and get a feel for it or you will never master it."
Izuma turned to him with an annoyed look on her face. "That was the whole reason I came out here."
"I know that. You want me to help you train?" Inuyasha asked.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Um … sure, if you want to."
Inuyasha nodded and walked up to her. He put one of his hands on her shoulder and the other on the hands that were gripping the sword. "Here, you're too tense, open your hands up a little and raise Osanti."
Izuma did as she was told. "Like that?"
"Yeah, now hold on a second." He answered. Taking Tetsusaiga from his waist, he pointed it at her. "Try to block my attack."
Izuma swallowed nervously. "Okay."
He could see her timid reaction. "I'm not gonna hurt you. This is practice, the real work comes later." He said with a smile.
"Fine, bring it on. I'm ready to kick your butt." She said slyly.
"Don't get to confident brat." He teased with a smile. She was so much like him.
"Cut the crap and swing your sword." She snapped.
He came at her, running full force. "Fine!"
Her eyes widened at his speed and she braced Osanti in front of her. Their blades clanged and sparked as they fought. They moved across the grass and Izuma could feel the green tufts move toward Osanti. She got an idea as he pushed her closer to the trees. Vines hung above them as they crashed into the brush. Izuma bounded away from him and disappeared into the leaves. He stared around above him for a few seconds and pursued her. The branches were thick and full of moss. He squinted around but he was unable to spot her.
He growled as he tried to keep his balance on a wide branch. "Smart, very smart." He praised her. "You can't hide up here forever though, you scared?"
A few feet above him, she peeked down at him and laughed. "You wish I was. I don't play fair, I play to win."
She stuck Osanti into a large hole in her tree and watched as the wood glowed green. The vines she had spotted earlier moved like snakes behind him. She closed her eyes and became one with her knew found power. She could see him; she was the vines. Before her dad could move, she reached farther out and the vines whipped forward. Inuyasha gasped in surprise and tried to slash the weeds away, but he had no progress. They snaked around his arms and legs, tightly restraining him. He kicked and swore as they lifted him up into the air. Izuma smiled in satisfaction and removed Osanti from its bond. She leaped down from her branch and stared up at him.
He swore and swiped at the vines but he couldn't move. "Okay Izuma, I get it. Could you cut me loose?"
"No, I think imma let you hand there for a few minutes." She said.
He blinked at her statement. "Please cut me down?"
She laughed and sliced him free. "There."
He got up from the ground and spit some dirt out of his teeth. "Keh … you did okay for a first time."
"Ha! Just okay? I wasn't the one hanging helplessly from a tree." She said.
"Whatever brat." He said with a grin.
As she began to walk away, Izuma turned back and caught him in a hug. "Thanks Dad."
He looked down at her for a moment, not knowing how to react. He returned her awkward embrace and kissed her on her forehead. He tussled and her hair and flicked her ear. "You did good."
Shippo yelled to them from the clearing. "Can we head back? I'm hungry."
Izuma pulled away from him and ran to join him in the field. Inuyasha was overcome with pride as he thought about himself and Kagome. He had a family, what he never had when he was a pup. He was glad he could be in this girl's life. To see her grow up was everything he dreamed of when Kagome first told him she was pregnant. It must have been so hard for his mate to raise Izuma on her own. He thought about his new pup more as he followed them back to the village.
Kagome had fallen asleep on a futon Keade had put out for her. Her dreams were filled with images of her and Inuyasha together next to the well, kissing passionately. As he pulled away to look at her, the sky grew dark and a cold wind blew. Odomaru stood in front of them, blood dripping from his sword. He swung it and she was tore away from him. He heard his screams in the distance as she was, threw through the trees. She landed on a ledge that looked over a bubbling water fall. She tried to get up, but she was unable to move. Lightning cracked the sky and she saw the same hooded figure as before. This time, her attacker stayed in place but reached up to remove the cloth that hid their face. She gasped to who stood before her, a look deep with hate on his face; Koga. She screamed and backed away as he stepped toward her. Not aware she had run out of solid rock, she toppled over the cliff and fell into the dark depths of the waterfall. The icy water hit her like a thousand cold needles. She floundered but was sucked under the surface and pulled deeper down. She struggled for breath but gave in to her gasping lungs and welcomed death. All she saw was Inuyasha's distraught tear filled eyes.
Keade shook the twitching girl awake. "Kagome! Kagome! Wake up child!"
"What? Where am I?" she asked, jerking up. She was covered in sweat from head to toe and the baby was kicking violently.
Keade patted her on the shoulder to bring her back to reality. "You were having a nightmare. Are ye all right?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. It was nothing." She said to the worried old woman beside her. Keade took one last look at her panicked face and turned back to her herbs. Kagome wiped the moisture from her lip and rubbed her stomach, cooing until the pup calmed down. "It's okay, we're okay." She hoped it was true as she stared at the midday sun.
