I am starting to think my writing is going downhill and is no longer good. I am barely getting any reviews. I post up four chapters every Monday and get less than ten reviews for all of those chapters combined. If I am doing badly, please let me know. I also wonder if anyone is reading my authors notes, or if I have no readers left. So, this time, I am putting it in bold caps, hoping to get your attention. A lot of time goes into outlining and writing these chapters. I would appreciate a little feedback if at all possible.
…Copy and pasted from the last chapter…. Keep in mind, I am doing this as a way to interact with any fans that I may have.
I have decided to promote myself as an author. I'm not really sure if anything will come of it, but I am currently writing a book on top of writing my fanfictions. I have a Facebook page set up right now. If you follow this page, you will be able to receive previews for next week's chapters, and then every chapter after that. I will also have a question-and-answer post occasionally. As long as it does not contain a spoiler, I will personally answer any questions you have. I would also hold polls on which story idea I work with next and the pairing. Basically, it would be a way to get everyone more involved. With that being said, if you wish to go and check out my Facebook page, go to PatriciaCMathena and look it up.
I'm not going to keep bugging all of you about this, so you won't see it again after this chapter. I just wanted to make sure it was at least seen. As always, I hope you all enjoy this update, and I will see you next Monday.
Chapter 16
Miroku and kagome moved slowly through the forest, filling baskets with herbs that they scavenged for. The healer's wing of the Shiro had been rebuilt, and many of the stores needed to be replaced. They had been outside all day and was starting to feel the fatigue of that. They weren't the only ones, Hisa and Hiroki weren't far off, along with a few others.
"How is Jun's pregnancy progressing?" Miroku was knelling by the roots of a large and thick tree. There were many types of mushrooms growing in this one spot, many that he needed. He plucked almost all of them, leaving behind the poisonous ones.
"Slowly. She will be pregnant for a year and is only five months along. She isn't even showing yet." Kagome shook her head. Using a knife to shave off the bark of the tree she was at. It was the meat under the bark that she needed. "I'm glad human pregnancies don't last so long. When momma was pregnant with Souta, she was miserable. Morning sickness, aches and pains, she had it all. She said it was like that when she was pregnant with me as well."
"Do you want children?" He stopped to look at her, the question slipping past his lips before he could stop it. She could hear the nervousness in his voice and gave him a warm smile that calmed his heart more than her words ever could. She could read him like no other, and his lips tilted upwards because of it.
"Of course, I do. I don't know about twenty, which is where your perverted mind went." She smirked at his not so innocent look and then shrugged her shoulders. "Then again, if we elongate our lives, it's likely that we will have that many children over the years. Just spread out and not all at once."
He stopped what he was doing, walking over to Kagome and wrapping his arms around her waist. He nuzzled into her neck, tickling her skin and she giggled. "Not all at once? Where is the fun in that?" He chuckled darkly against her neck and her breath caught.
"We can still have fun Miroku. I just don't want to be your breeding mare." His hand covered her stomach as he laughed. He kissed her neck once more, followed by a nip of his teeth.
"I would not wish the pain of back to back pregnancy on you, Kagome. I am content with you willing to bear any amount of children for me." Letting her go, he backed away again, smirking as he caught her disappointed whimper.
"Tell me about Yua. How is your relationship with her?" Kagome got back to the tree, using her knife to cut away the soft insides. The meat and the sap of the tree can be used for stomach issues. The sap also has an added effect of being an aphrodisiac. That was why she was collecting it and not her lecherous male.
He shrugged noncommittally. "We get along, but we do not share the mother and son bond that she desires. While I know that she did what she did for me, she still abandoned her family. I watched my father die when the wind tunnel became too much to handle. Then it formed on me while I was only a child. I cannot forget the pain that occurred in her absence."
"I understand." Kagome really did. She had not been through anything like he had, but she couldn't help to feel sorry for what Miroku had gone through as a child. He had watched his father die, and then immediately had that same curse form on him with no time to grieve or process.
"I know my little woman isn't pitying me." He didn't hide the mirth in his voice. He knew how Kagome's mind worked. She was far too kind not to be able to see the hurt he had lived as a child. She was filled with compassion and understanding. He had never met a woman who carried those traits as much as she did. And he knew he was lucky to have her.
"Never. But I do have sympathy for your lost childhood. Still though, your past made you who you are today. And I love the Miroku that's here with me." She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. His eyes were wide and vulnerable, and she knew she had caught him off guard.
After clearing his throat, he looked down at the ground. There was a lump in his throat that was making it hard for him to speak. He forced his voice past it, not wanting to leave her hanging. "I love you as well, My Heart." This time he shocked her with the endearment. They both locked gazes and then smiled softly. How much different all their past relationships were to the one they were in now. There was no way either of them could ever go back to what they had before. They would be downgrading if they did.
Turning away, Kagome moved to a bush that had green berries on it. She needed those berries and the leaves of the bush for healing open wounds. She could feel the blush on her face as she thought back on their conversation, and what their future would hold. She was so engrossed in thought she hadn't realized she and Miroku weren't alone.
A hiss of agony escaped her as something sliced through the palm of her hand. She yanked her hand back from the bushes so hard she fell to her back. Just as she started scrambling to her feet, Miroku reached her, grabbing her wrist and squeezing. She was bleeding heavily from her palm and he could already see she would require stitches.
They both looked back to the bush as a rumble sounded from inside. Red eyes glowed in their direction, and they tensed, unsure of what they were about to fight. What finally stepped out shocked them. Kagome was still learning of the creatures in the world she wasn't born in. So, she had no idea what she was seeing. Miroku had never seen one in his life but had read about them in a book of extinct creatures.
"A lowl." His voice was whispered in awe. The creature that stood before them had the head and wings of an owl and the body of a snow leopard. They were known for their fierce fighting and their ability to tear an enemy to shreds while still in the air.
It shook its back and scattered blood on the ground around it. Kagome's heart began to pity the creature as she realized that it was injured. Reaching into her garbs, she pulled out a bit of dried meat and tossed it to the animal. It pounced immediately, gobbling up the snack. Once finished it sat on its haunches and cocked its head, as if asking for more.
Kagome chuckled and gave in throwing more to the animal. "He's hurt, Miroku. We should help him."
Miroku looked at her injured hand pointedly and she refused to acknowledge what he was saying. There was no way she was going to let this go. He sighed, knowing exactly how his woman was. "Gain his trust while I stitch up your hand. Then. If he allows it, we can look at his wound."
She thanked him and then continued on with feeding him. There was the added bonus that while she focused on the lowl, she didn't notice the pain in her hand as Miroku cleaned and stitched her up. She held no ill will towards the animal. He had been hurt and scared and she hadn't been paying attention to her surroundings.
When the animal finished with the meat, she turned her water skin over until the water puddled onto the forest floor. The lowl hesitated for a moment, but then finally moved closer to drink. He was close enough now for Kagome to hold out her free hand.
She felt Miroku's hands freeze as he watched the exchange happening in front of him protectively. The lowl looked at Kagome, his fur and feathers bristling in fear. She didn't move, barely even breathed, out of worry that she would scare the poor animal. She held her hand there, keeping it out for him to warily sniff.
His beak was razor-sharp. She knew that if he wanted he could tear her arm clean off with no problems. Hesitantly he placed that same beak in her hand after a quick sniff. When they both heard a purr, they relaxed with a released breath and Miroku's hands began to work on Kagome's once more.
When Miroku finished stitching her up, he prepared what he would need to heal the animal. Kagome pet the creature behind his feathered ear and it laid down, his head in her lap. She finally got to see the wound in his wing and winced. An arrow.
It was broken, but part of it was still embedded into the delicate flesh. "This may hurt a bit, but we are going to help you." The animal closed its eyes, flinching as Kagome unfolded its wing to its full length, which wasn't much. The lowl was only slightly bigger than Kirara was in her small form.
"Why are you alone I wonder?". The animal looked up to Kagome, meeting her eyes and she kept him focused on her voice as Miroku worked on his wound. "If you don't have a family you can stay with me. I'll take care of you. I even have a perfect name. Your stong you know. You've been hurt and you survived on your own. I'll call you Arkan. That's if you want to stay with me, of course."
"Coincidently, me as well." Miroku held as smirk as he focused on the wound. The animal opened his beak, licking at Kagome's arm and purred. She took that as a yes. When Miroku finished, he folded back up the lowl's wing and they wrapped it down so it couldn't be moved. It would take a few days for the animal to heal.
"Let's head back." Miroku stood, holding out a hand to Kagome to help her stand. When she was on her feet, he gathered the supplies they collected and watched as the lowl climbed up to her shoulder. So easily she gained the trust of those around her. She pulled in any who were willing to feel the heart she held. It was a beautiful thing, and one Miroku hoped he got to witness a lot more.
…
Sango dressed quickly, knowing InuYasha would be back any minute. She had been hiding something keeping a secret from him that she wasn't ready for him to know. She had begun to train her body again. She was nowhere near as strong as she was when she first met InuYasha, but she would get back there one day.
For now, she would play the part that she had been for so long. Meek mistress, that never fought back. The truth was, she had let him break her spirit. He had cost her, her friends and any happiness that she once had. But no more, she would no longer be the weak woman he saw her as.
Instead, she had made a plan. She would be free of InuYasha once and for all, but she needed to get him to Sesshomaru. She hoped if she presented the daiyoki with a chance to kill InuYasha he would take it. That would be the only way she could escape the hanyou. If she didn't, she would be stuck in a life she could no longer live.
She planned to use Kagome as bait, no matter how horrible that was. The moment she told InuYasha where Kagome was, he would be out the door chasing her down. Sango knew Kagome could handle herself, she had handled InuYasha's brash behavior and crude mouth far better than Sango ever did. If Kagome wanted InuYasha back, she could have him.
Sango was pretty sure that wouldn't be the case though. It had been a year. And not once had Kagome come for a visit. That meant Sango's entire plan relied on Sesshomaru killing InuYasha. If that didn't happen, she would be stuck with the bastard and dragging Kagome down with her. She didn't want that.
The ex slayer had learned her lesson and then some. She wanted to live in peace, move away from everyone and start over. She wanted to learn from her mistakes and live out the rest of her life in whatever happiness she could find. She didn't care if she had to leave Japan for it. This was her only desire, and she would achieve it. She had to.
