A Delayed Dawn
Disclaimer: Takahashi-sensei says that she sees not end in sight for Inuyasha just as I see no ownership of it in my sight.
Warning: This story is posted in the mature section for good reasons. If ideas such as vulgar language, descriptive violence, and sexual situations such as rape disturb you, then you are warned now.
Chapter Forty-Eight Borderlands
War Dogs Compound
The Apartment of Kaede, Shippo and Souta
Kaede opened the door and was surprised to see Inuyasha standing there. Silently, she step aside and motioned for the distraught hanyou inside. Inuyasha surveyed the room to find that Shippo and Souta were not in the main room, but by scent, they were in the apartment, in one of the other rooms, not hiding, but avoiding him.
"I'm sure you know," he said to the old woman straight out.
She nodded. "Aye. I have been told," she replied afraid to say it out loud. "Ye have come here for a reason. Speak your peace and leave."
Inuyasha winced from her tone. Seems she was just as pissed at him as everyone else was. Inuyasha nodded. He would have to speak loud enough for the others to hear. "Miroku, Sango and I are going after Kagome. Sesshoumaru said that the two runts could come along if they wanted. But I won't let them come. Once Naraku gets winds of our movements, he'll send whatever he can after us, and I wouldn't want to put the rest of Kagome's family in danger. We'll be back in a month."
Kaede looked at the hanyou strangely. "A month you say?'
"Yeah. I've learned of something else. Apparently, during my time with the children, my youkai recognized them as my own and my kind has a family bond. Kagome knew of a connection between me and the children, but she doesn't fully understand it. She cut that connection not knowing the consequences of her actions. All I have is one month."
Kaede didn't like the sound of what Inuyasha was saying, but knew that anything she were to say would just waste his time. All she could do was nod. "We wish thee a safe and successful journey."
Inuyasha left the apartment. Kaede went back to sitting down on the floor so she could finish her tea. "Ye can come out know."
The door to one of the bedrooms opened and Souta and Shippo stumbled out. By the looks on their faces, they had heard clearly everything that Inuyasha had said, but listened to him at the same time. They were going to stay and let Inuyasha rectify the situation with Kagome.
Kaede eyed the boys. "Ye know what this means."
The boys nodded as they slumped down into the chairs in the living area. It was something Souta had been expecting, and he had explained the situation to Shippo the best he could. Shippo understood because he was a demon, and himself had experienced the loss of his family bond. But it was different for him because he was full demon, and not hanyou. He had enough of his youki to sustain his life because he had reached that age. That wasn't the case for hanyou.
Souta let the tears pool in his wide brown eyes. "I can't believe her. She's just so careless." He sucked back the sadness. "How far can she get in a month Kaede?"
"I do not know."
Souta sighed and again let the sadness creep back up. "I hope she gets to a place where she meets someone she can trust, for the sake of her children."
Foot of Mountain range
Three Weeks Later
The four of them entered the village of the bird youkai that Kagome was told about. From appearance alone, they looked to be a race of eagle youkai. That comforted her quite a bit. Eagle youkai were fast flyers and had the ability to fight as well, just in case they were confronted with someone who recognized her.
Misato introduced Kagome to the leader of the eagle youkai. "Mariko," he said using her now assumed name to protect her identity. "This is Shoutoshi, the leader here."
Kagome bowed to the tall man with dark brown and long hair with yellow eyes. The fingernails on his hands were curved in a similar manner to that of eagle talons. Shoutoshi was dressed in what looked to be a kind of military wear; khaki pants with a t-shirt that showed off his broad shoulders and arm muscles, and standard issued boots that were rough from wear and tear.
"I thank you for your kindness in giving my family aid," Kagome spoke eloquently. "These are my children Tomoko and Toshikazu." The children bowed. Kagome had explained to them that in order to hide their true identities from the bad men, they had to use pretend names. They easily understood her plan and went along with it.
Shoutoshi held up his hand. "No need to bow to me Mariko-san. No one should suffer the atrocities of war, and we do our best to help those escape the pain and horror this war has caused."
Kagome smiled. "I appreciate your understanding in this manner."
"Misato sent me a letter a few days ago explaining your situation to me. That we need to get you to the mainland as quickly as possible. And we will do that. We will set flight tomorrow morning at dawn. My brothers and sisters are using this day to rest for the travels."
Kagome smiled at his explanations, but felt uncomfortable with the fact that her arrival was announced a few days ahead. She hoped that Myouga trusted Misato and these eagle youkai well. If not, her days were doomed.
"Washijo!" Shoutoshi yelled. Kagome watched as a woman appeared, looking very similar to Shoutoshi, only with female features. "Mariko, this is Washijo, my sister. She will take you to a place were you can rest until tomorrow. If you need anything, she will arrange for it." Washijo bowed.
Kagome and her children followed the willowy eagle youkai passed many wooden homes until she pointed to the one that they would be staying in. The homes reminded her of houses built during the Sengoku time period. They were simple, but functional.
"Here you are," Washijo stated as she opened the door and allowed the three visitors into the small house. It was a two room building, the large room was a living area and bedroom in one, and the second, but smaller building was a bathroom that housed only a toilet. Kagome found two beds already prepared; one for her, one for her children.
"This will do wonderfully," Kagome exclaimed. The children wondered over to one of the beds that they claimed as theirs and sat down on it.
"Dinner will be served in a few hours. After that, there will be time to visit the bathhouse. I assume you and your children will want to bathe together?"
Kagome nodded. "That sounds great. Thank you."
Washijo smiled as she bowed and left the three visitors alone in their little house. The door shut behind her. Kagome turned to her children. It hurt that when she looked at them, she only felt sadness. She thought that when the she learned the truth, that her children wouldn't have to hide their true identities from the world. And now, not only were they hiding it, they were running away from it.
Kagome bent down by her children. "So, are you excited to be traveling with eagle youkai? We'll be flying over the mountains."
The children just shrugged as they pulled out the one toy they were each allowed and quietly played in their own little world, ignoring their mother. Kagome sadly sighed. She deserved this. She felt that she deserved much worse than this. At least they were recognizing her presence. Maybe they were just tired from all of the traveling.
This time, things were different. The children hadn't witnessed an attack like when they were in Hiroshima. They had seen the youkai that had attacked them. This time around, all they had was what their mother had told them. Yes, they were scared. But it was hard to be scared of something that they couldn't see. It was hard to be scared when they had a father that was so strong.
Kagome lied down in the bed that was hers. She was afraid to nap, but felt that she needed the sleep. Since she started traveling, no, before that, her mind had been plagued with nightmares. Even when awake, her mind drifted to the images of the previously night. No longer could she distinguish between being awake and being asleep. Her fears haunted her relentlessly.
Naraku's Compound
He laughed. It was an evil laugh that transversed his entire physical being. This laugh was one that he had waited for. Finally, things were starting to fall into place. His plan was going to bear the fruit of ultimate power for him. Naraku couldn't have wished for anything else short of the jewel itself.
"Kagura. Head to the village of the eagle youkai. Take everything we have with you. Though I doubt you'll need it," he ordered the wind demoness. She bowed and left with a flick of her fan.
Naraku glanced over at the albino child who held in her hand the mirror that showed him the good news. Higurashi had traveled to the village of the eagle youkai. It took him a few weeks to track her down. But it wasn't difficult for him as he had spies all over the place. She had slipped under his radar, but she was found by accident and he couldn't have been happier.
She was running. And she was without those morons from the War Dogs which meant that she had rejected their protection on her own. That was what he wanted all along. This didn't mean that she was going to walk up to the front steps of his compound and become his partner. It just meant that he wouldn't have to deal with the War Dogs.
The War Dogs were proving to be a nuisance to deal with. They were much stronger than he had anticipated. They had abilities and weapons that none of his men had warned him about. They were killed for their poor work. But it didn't matter now.
The eagle youkai were not his comrades, but he knew that they hadn't sided with the War Dogs either. They would fight, but they paled in numbers. They were a clan that kept to themselves. They bothered with only their own kind. Why they were helping Higurashi was something he decided he needn't worry about.
Tomorrow, he would have Higurashi and her children locked in his cells. The two times he had separated the mother from her children, he failed. So he decided that he would keep them together. She might be more willing to do her work this time if she didn't have to worry about the safety of her children.
He couldn't wait for tomorrow.
Somewhere in Japan
Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango and Kirara quickly traveled in the direction they felt that Kagome was going. No one was going to question Inuyasha's instincts. It was likely that his youkai was calling out for his children and on some level, he was still able to sense them. That the children's youkai was also looking for their father just as Inuyasha was searching for his children.
They had traveled hard the past couple of weeks, trying to cover as much ground as they could. It made the most sense that Kagome would travel northward. It was from the north that she could travel across the short gap of water to the mainland. From the mainland, she could disappear to any place of her choosing.
Inuyasha had told them that northwest was the direction they had to go, but gave no explanation other than that was his order and if they didn't like it, it was too bad because he was the one in charge. They didn't argue back because they didn't have any clues as to which direction Kagome would have chosen to travel. It was easier to follow Inuyasha than to argue with him.
The sun had died a few hours ago, and Inuyasha insisted on pushing on. He felt that stopping only allowed Kagome to put that much more distance between them. But both Miroku and Sango were human. They could only stay awake for so long and still be useful. Miroku had suggested that he and Sango have alternative sleeping cycles, but Kirara grew tired of carrying the sleeping one.
It was about midnight when the group finally stopped for the night. Inuyasha offered to stay awake to keep watch while Miroku and Sango got the rest they needed. They didn't refuse his offer. Kirara stayed up with Inuyasha until he told her to get some sleep. She refused at first, but he promised her that he'd wake her if there was any kind of trouble. That she agreed to.
Inuyasha spent his time coming up with things to say to Kagome, to convince her to return with him for both her safety and their children. He also thought about what he really needed to say to her. It was obvious that she wasn't concerned about her safety. It was him that drove her away. He was the cause of all of this. And he was the only one that could fix it.
But could he say the words that she wanted to hear? Did he really love her? Did she really love him? She had said so, but she had a fever and thought she was going to die. It was something that humans did. They got all sentimental on their deathbeds. But then there was that night when she made the ultimatum to him. And there was what Souta said.
Fuck, he thought, realizing that he may have screwed up beyond the point of being able to fix anything between him and Kagome. She had made up her mind and just like him, once his mind was made up, it took a miracle for him to think otherwise. He really didn't know what to say to her to convince her that he needed her.
His ears flipped toward the direction of a sound he heard in the trees. A bird? No, they were asleep. He started to think of nocturnal animals and youkai. He sniffed the air, hoping that his nose would tell him what his ears couldn't.
"My, my, a little far from the safety of the compound now, aren't we?"
Inuyasha was up on his feet and his hands gripped a fully transformed Tessaiga. "Kagura," he growled. She had snuck up on him. Maybe he was tired. But he didn't feel it.
Kagura laughed. "Oh, Naraku will be so disappointed to see you here. He thought that Kagome had finally shaken you leeches off of her back."
Inuyasha took several deep breaths. She had information. She knew things that he needed to know. He would hold off on attacking her, for the moment. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you've lost," she told him with an evil glint in her eye. "Tomorrow, Naraku will have her and her children. No spells, no lingering facts from the past to lead you to his compound. He will have her for as long as he needs to, until the rest of the jewel is found."
Inuyasha chuckled. "Kagome is human. Short life span."
It was Kagura's turn to chuckle. "Ah, that is where you are mistaken my stupid hanyou. Naraku already has pieces of the jewel. It doesn't take much for him to break off a tiny piece, infuse it with his evil, and insert it into her body. He will control her like a puppet; extend her life until she has found him the remainder of the jewel. The he can slip the shard out and she'll die an excruciating death because her natural one was withheld from her."
Fuck, he thought. That was the only word his mind could think of. "Naraku won't be able to do shit when I'm through with him."
"Naraku remains hidden in a place that no one will find him. He has sent others out to capture the woman that he needs. A woman he may even want."
Inuyasha froze. Naraku wanting Kagome? He couldn't, wouldn't let that bastard lay a finger on her. She . . . she was the mother of his children. And though their mating was forced under unusual circumstances, he had to protect her.
Kagura continued with her ranting. "I mean, Kagome is a woman with hair and skin like silken wings but has claws of steel. Sounds like a woman he has always been interested in."
Inuyasha was struggling to keep his anger in check. He couldn't attack her until she was finished. She had to give him something to go off of. That was why she was here, wasn't it? Or was it just Naraku's way of telling him that he was losing. That he had lost Kagome, he had lost his children, and that he would lose this war. He was losing everything.
"Fuck!" Inuyasha yelled. "If that's all you have to say, then you better get your ass out of here before I send it to hell."
Kagura sighed. "Fine. Fine. Be that way if you must. Time for me to take flight. I'm sure we'll meet again, during the final battle, when Naraku has a completed jewel. I might convince him to give you and your friends a quick death."
She whipped out a feather and flew off into the starry sky, leaving Inuyasha to wonder what her real reason for showing up was. He slipped the Tessaiga back into its sheath and sat down where he had been before Kagura's arrival. He'd give them a few more hours and then they would be back on their feet traveling.
Kagura said that Naraku would have Kagome tomorrow. That meant that he knew where she was and was going to attack those she was with. How far was he from her? Would he make it in time? Was he really going to lose her to Naraku?
The Next Morning
Kagome awoke just before dawn. She had heard the eagle youkai moving about outside her little hut, and figured that they were preparing for their travel over the mountain range. Kagome quickly dressed and woke her children up, getting them ready for the travels ahead.
Once they had finished, they headed outside to be greeted by a smiling Washijo. "Good, you're awake. I was getting ready to fetch you."
Kagome shifted her backpack onto her shoulders more comfortably. "Washijo, I was wondering if it were possible to get extra coats. I can only imagine how cold it will be up there for us humans."
Washijo laughed. "Of course. I can get you some coats and extra blankets." Washijo left to get what she was asked.
Kagome took a hold of her children's hands and lead them down the main dirt road of the eagle youkai village. She had been shown where they were to all meet up for the flight over the mountains. Misato was going to join them to make sure that on the other side of the mountain range, they made it to the harbor. After that, they were on their own.
"Ah, Mariko, ohayou," Shutoushi greeted Kagome.
Kagome bowed to him. "Ohayou gozaimasu to you to Shutoushi."
He chuckled at her politeness. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes. The food, the bath, the rest, it was perfect. I only wish that I could return one day to the same hospitality."
Shutoushi nodded at the meaning of her response. "I'm glad we could help you now. Are you ready?"
"Uh, Washijo was going to get us some extra coats since it will be cool so high up in the air and over the mountains," Kagome explained. Just then, Washijo arrived with her arms filled with coats and animal pelts.
"I hope this will be enough. It was all I could find in such a short notice." She handed Kagome the items.
Kagome took them and bowed. "This is wonderful." She bundled her children up, even though she knew that they would be able to handle the chill, it was herself that she had to worry about. "I think we are ready, when you are?"
Shutoushi nodded. "Come with me then. Mariko, Tomoko, Toushikazu, you will all be able to ride on one eagle. Misato will follow on another. Then there will be five others to accompany you for protection. There will be one stop over halfway across the mountains to switch eagles. Once you leave here, it will take about forty-five minutes for you to arrive on the other side."
"Wow," Kagome said with a smile. That was good to hear.
Shutoushi escorted Kagome and her children over to the eagles that would be joining them on their journey. Misato was already on an eagle. The children and Kagome mounted a large and powerful eagle. They were strapped in tightly.
"Thank you for everything Shutoushi, Washijo," Kagome thanked them as she held onto leather reins. She knew that it was there more for her sake than for actually being able to control the eagle.
Shutoushi and Washijo bowed and waved as the eagles took flight into the air. The five eagles made a pentagon shape around the two that carried its passengers. In a manner of moments, they disappeared into the morning sky.
They flew high up into the air, but stayed in the atmosphere because of the humans that couldn't handle the lower air pressure. They headed on their northwesterly course toward the location of the harbor. Forty-five minutes. Kagome couldn't wait. For some reason, she felt that once she was on the other side of the mountain range, so much of her old life would be behind her.
A short distance away
Kagura watched as the eagles took flight. An eager army of demons waited for her command to attack. But not yet. They would have to wait until they were deep into the mountains. It was far enough away from being able to call for reinforcements; far enough away from Inuyasha and his people. She couldn't fail Naraku. And she wouldn't fail him. They would have Kagome very soon.
About twenty minutes later
Kagome found the view absolutely stunning. The mountains were capped with thick fluffy looking snow that sparkled from the rays of the morning light. The air was crisp and fresh, but still cold as she breathed it in deeply into her lungs. Maybe she'd live on a mountain somewhere. But then she shook her head at the idea of piles of snow that were taller than her.
She felt her stomach shift as the eagles started their descent down. They were coming to the halfway point. Kagome was curious as to where they would land. It seemed that the eagle youkai had traveled over this mountain many times and knew of which places were the safest for them to land.
The eagle they were riding landed softly on a stone ledge that was devoid of snow. Cleaned off by them perhaps. She shrugged off her inquiring questions as they didn't need to be answered.
"Stay on," the eagle commanded her. Kagome nodded at his orders.
Not all of eagles landed. The two that carried its passengers and two others, the ones they were to switch with. The remaining three stayed in the air circling around as the watch guards. This worried Kagome. But she couldn't ask her children, which would give their identity away.
Misato dismounted his eagle first and climbed onto his replacement. Once he was on, the eagle youkai he had ridden took flight into the air and joined up with the others on guard duty.
"Ready?"
Kagome nodded at her eagle. The other eagle they were to ride walked up to them and bent down so it would be easy for Kagome to lift her children onto its back, and for her to mount it.
"Mommy, what's that sound?" Takeru asked as he started to slide off the eagle youkai's back.
Kagome eyes went wide as she heard the deep rumbling sound echoing through the valleys of the mountain range. Kagome grabbed Takeru and lifted him back onto the eagle youkai's back.
"Trouble," she cried.
The eagle they were riding just escaped the wave of the avalanche that fell from above them. However, Misato was not was lucky, as he and the eagle he rode were quickly devoured by the white crystalline water.
Kagome struggled to hold onto her children as her eagle flew as fast as it could away from the mountains. Once in the air, they could avoid other avalanches. But there a problem that they couldn't avoid, even in the air: the horde of flying demons that slowly surrounded them.
Kagome gasped. It reminded her of that day at the shrine, when Naraku sent his army of a hundred demons after her. It had to be Naraku that sent these demons after her. But how did her find her?
The eagle youkai stopped and met up with the five other eagles. They floated in the air as they examined their situation. It didn't look good. But they had a mission to carry out. They understood that Kagome's life was extremely important. They didn't do favors like this just for anyone. Myouga held great influence with the eagle youkai leader.
"Hold on," the eagle instructed Kagome. Kagome nodded as she gripped tightly onto her children with one hand, and onto the straps with the other.
It seemed that the eagles may have a plan, but Kagome couldn't tell. There wasn't much she could do on the back of an eagle youkai without a weapon. If only she had a bow. But even that was useless as she had lost her miko abilities. She was just a normal human being that was being hunted down by the most ruthless being alive. She wasn't that normal after all.
The eagle dove straight down into the valley. Several of the demons followed. Kagome kept her head down from the rush of icy wind that blew past her. With the roar of the wind, she couldn't hear much. She was afraid to look behind her to see how close the demons were.
Instead, she would have to trust the eagle she rode on to protect her and her children. But she felt that it was asking much. Naraku had demons to spare, and there were only six eagle youkai. Not a fair match-up, but that was how Naraku played.
The Eagle Youkai Village
Inuyasha rushed into the village with Sango and Miroku riding on Kirara's back. Shutoushi sensed their presence and came out to greet them. "Welcome."
"A woman, with two children. Was she here?" Inuyasha asked, slightly out of breath. He had ran here as quickly as he could for the last five hours. This was the only village in this direction, the one that anyone traveling through the mountains would stop at.
Shutoushi shook his head. "I'm sorry. We've had zero visitors."
Sango and Miroku slipped off of Kirara's back. They joined Inuyasha. "My name is Miroku, this is Inuyasha, Sango and her demon cat Kirara. We're with the War Dogs."
Shutoushi nodded as he listened to the monk. "I know of the War Dogs."
Miroku smiled. At least this youkai didn't say he hated the War Dogs. "This woman and her children are in grave danger. We were warned that she was to be attacked today."
Shutoushi gasped. So much for keeping her presence a secret, but he quickly recovered. "That is horrible news. But as I said, no woman has been here."
Miroku glanced over at Inuyasha who just shook his head at the stubborn eagle youkai. "Whatever. He's lying and his comrades are dying. Let's go."
"Wait," Shutoushi said. "Attacked by whom?"
"Naraku," Miroku stated. "The demon that made this woman a draftee. He knew she would be here and planned to capture her."
"And it looks like he found he perfect place," Inuyasha explained as he pointed at the mountain range. "Nasty place for a fight. Hope your kind can handle Naraku."
Shutoushi stiffened at Inuyasha's accusations. "Can you protect her?" He asked, his brown eyes narrowing at the proud hanyou.
Inuyasha nodded. "She's worth more than my life."
"Because of the jewel?" He asked. He had to know before he answered them.
Inuyasha scoffed. "Fuck the jewel. It's brought me nothing but pain. I want to save her because . . . she's the mother of my children."
Shutoushi nodded. "Fine. She was here. They left about a half hour ago. If things went as planned, then they would have stopped about midway to make a switch." Shutoushi turned and called out in his eagle language to the other members of his flock. Two large eagle youkai made their way out. "If what you say is indeed true, then we offer you some assistance."
"Kirara can take Miroku and I," Sango explained. "Inuyasha could ride with one of you, and the other can accompany us for guidance and assistance."
Shutoushi nodded and ordered the two eagle youkai to follow their commands. Inuyasha mounted an eagle while Miroku and Sango mounted a transformed Kirara. The demon cat and the two eagle youkai took off quickly into the direction that Kagome traveled.
They all prayed that they would make it there in time.
& & & & & & &
Author's Note:
An explanation of the eagle youkai names really quickly
Shutoushi – master of the fighting spirit
Washijo – woman eagle
