Chapter 55

As Izuma slowly sank to the lake floor, she could feel the life leaving her body. She was ready to give up and her eyes slowly shut. At the last moment, Komaru dove in after her. Grabbing her by her waist, he kicked his way up and broke up above into the air. Keeping her head above water, he swam to the shore and crawled out on to the snowy ground. He pulled her up next to himself and sat there, just gasping for air.

He looked at her as he shook his hair dry. "Phew … that was close! You okay Izuma?

When she didn't reply, he looked down at her. Her face was pale and she wasn't breathing. She was still as a corpse. Blood seeped into the snow from where her hand had jammed into the ice. He fingers were a purple color from the cold. He had only just found her when he was out hunting. He saw Odomaru leave and smelled her scent ad saw Osanti sitting on the ice. Without thinking twice he ran to the cracked pool and jumped.

He shook her arm what she didn't move. "Izuma … Izuma, wake up!"

He lifted her limp form and pushed on her chest. By the third one, her eyes shot open. Struggling out of his grasp, she leaned over and puked up buckets of water. She curled up on the ground in a ball and gasped for air. Her arms and legs were on fire, stinging like she had been stung by a thousand bees. Her hand throbbed from were a bone stuck out in an unnatural way.

Her ears burned as she sat up, shaking uncontrollably. "W-what hap-p-pend … where's-s Odomaru-r-ru?"

"He left and you fell through the ice." He stammered.

She looked at him with a scowl on her face. "I know that! I was there you idiot!"

He got to his feet and tried to help her up. "Here, c'mon … get up."

"I don't need your help! I can do it myself!" she snapped. Pushing herself up with her good hand, she stood stiffly for a minute but slipped back on to the ground. "Dammit!"

"Quit being a stubborn bitch and let me help you." Komaru said calmly.

He pulled her to her feet and she cried in pain. "Ouch! Damn that hurts!"

"What?" he asked as she sat back down in the snow.

She clutched her leg and a few tears fell from her bloodshot eyes. "My knee, I think I busted it up!"

He looked down and saw red soaking her pat leg. "You're hurt bad, let me carry you."

"No!" she said, hitting his hand away from her. She looked around and noticed Osanti was no longer attached to her waist. "Huh? Where's my sword?"

"I'll get it." He said and bounded out on to the ice.

"Get your hands off my sword!" she snapped, snatching it from him.

She didn't object as he lifted her up into her arms. He slowly made his way throw the bushes and he held her tighter so she wouldn't fall. He was glad she was alive, more than glade … ecstatic. He could feel her delicate cold body and he sighed.

She saw the look on his face and growled. "Keep your hands to yourself wolf!"

He laughed and rolled his eyes. "I save you and this is what I get? I should have just left you to drown."

She shut up after that. They approached the village in silence. Children chased each other and rolled around in the thick snow. Little bits of frost had crusted on to their hair and their clothes felt like sand paper. Komaru hadn't noticed that she was no longer conscious. Her body shacked in his fingers and he could feel her heart racing.

Inuyasha watched his mate as she made breakfast for them. He was starting to get antsy. The wind was picking up and the snow was still falling. Mothers and Fathers called their children inside from their playing and others tied their hut flaps shut tight. He sniffed the air but could only smell snow. When he strained to scent anything, his lips burned. They felt dry and hard. When Kagome looked up from the fire ad saw him rubbing at his mouth, she giggled and reached over to her bag. Unzipping the front pocket, she pulled out her lemon chap stick. Struggling to her feet, she waddled over to where he stood.

He looked at her in suspicion as she uncapped it and lifted it to his face. "What are you doing?"

"Just hold still." She said as she rubbed some to his lips.

After she had finished, he touched a finger to his lips and sniffed it. "What is this stuff?"

She laughed at his expression as he tasted it. "It's Chap Stick, keeps your lips from freezing."

"It tastes gross." He said.

She laughed and kissed him. "You're not supposed to eat it dummy."

He kissed her back but pulled away when he saw Komaru carrying Izuma up to their hut. He was soaking wet and shaking, in fact they both were. He smelled his pup's blood and he rushed after Kagome as she ran over to them.

"Oh no … what happened? Come inside, quickly!" Kagome said.

Komaru didn't reply but carried her inside. Inuyasha held his arms out and he weakly handed her to him. The half demon sneered at him as Kagome ran to her bag. She pulled out her first aid kit and hurried back over to them.

Inuyasha shuddered when he felt how cold she was. "Dammit, she's freezing!"

"I need to get her out of these wet clothes off her, they aren't helping. Inuyasha, bring her to our room." Kagome instructed.

He nodded and followed her to the back of the hut. Komaru sat down in front of the fire and held his now blue hands in front of it. Inuyasha returned a few minutes later, shaking his kimono free of water. Komaru didn't take any notice to him as he walked across the hut.

Before the wolf could blink, Inuyasha had him up against the wall, clutching him by the throat. "What did you do to her fool?"

"I didn't do anything! Odomaru attacked her and she fell through the ice!" he said with equal force, trying to keep his voice from stuttering.

"I don't believe you." he snarled.

Komaru glared at him. "I saved her. You can ask her when she's better!"

"Fine, but if she tells me you did this, imma tear you to shreds!" Inuyasha said, letting him fall to the ground.

"Inuyasha, I need your help in here." Kagome called.

Inuyasha gave him a hard stare and walked back down the hall, leaving Komaru on the floor. The wolf rubbed his neck and stood up, leaving the hut and heading for Keade's.