Chapter 22: Caught

"Kagome-san, I believe you are being followed."

Her heart quickened, an irregular tightness constricting her chest. She turned to look at him, her hair falling in an unruly curtain over her shoulder.

"Remain calm. Do not distress." His voice was steady, constant. Confident beyond what his age would suggest. "Do not look at me. They are watching you, but they may not have seen me yet."

"What do we do?" She hated the quaver in her voice, almost as much as she hated the itch to turn and search for her watchers or the weight of their gaze.

"Send Atsuko back to the palace for more guards." He flipped the arrow between his fingers, now examining the feather fletches and the nock indentations.

"Alone?" She hissed, fighting the urge to look at him. "Should we not all go?"

"She has a better chance of reaching them without detection. They are focused on you." He returned his arrow to the quiver, then pulled another up for inspection.

Kagome nodded distractedly, then called Atsuko closer. With a trembling smile, she summoned Atsuko with a wave of her arm, pulled her into a hug and murmured in her ear, "Return to the palace and bring guards- as many as possible, as quickly as possible. Run." Bringing her back at arm's length, Kagome loudly exclaimed, "Jumei, what are you doing here? Your okaasan has been looking for you all morning! Hurry, run home before she gets angry!"

Atsuko's eyes clouded with confusion, but Kagome's insistent look had her dumbly nodding and turning away. Kagome's eyes followed her as she fled the street, watching until she faded from view while trepidation grew in her heart. Hopefully calling her 'cousin' and sending her home to her 'mother' will not draw attention to her…. I hope I did the right thing, Kagome thought miserably. She turned back to Touma, then kept turning towards the shop's wares as she remembered his quiet instructions. She focused on one of the bows in front of her, eyes tracing the carvings of vines and leaves.

"What now?" She asked hesitantly.

"We wait for an opportunity- when the streets are more crowded or a diversion arises. Do not draw attention to yourself. Do not move too quickly through the crowd." He paused for a moment, his eyes flicking to subtly evaluate her. "Do something wth your hands– distract yourself. In a few minutes we will move towards the palace."

Numbly, Kagome pulled an arrow from a quiver, inspecting it. She ran her finger down its length, feeling for flaws and imperfections in the wood. The shaft was smooth and straight, the fletches neatly aligned; a high quality arrow. With the caliber of the weapons on the walls, the others in the quiver undoubtedly matched the one in her hands. Strange, that the shopkeeper is gone so long, and leaves such wares unattended.

As if summoned by her thoughts, a young woman stepped out from the back of the shop. The first thing Kagome recognized was her hair; it shone a brilliant silver, matching that of the Emperor and his sons. Twin ribbons pinned it back, proudly baring the woman's swarthy, sun-kissed skin. Her eyes, unnaturally large and a frighteningly beautiful shade of amethyst, pierced Kagome where she stood. She moved forward with ethereal grace, watching attentively as Kagome replaced the arrow into its original quiver. Meanwhile, Touma had replaced the weapon he inspected and drifted to her other side, standing between her and the bustling street. Her eyes flicked to him, catching the tension in his shoulders, one hand clenching the pommel of his katana in a white-knuckled grip even as he tried to project an air of relaxed confidence.

Conscious of the woman's gaze, Kagome moved to look at one of the bows hanging from the walls. It was pale, an off-white color edging towards a faded yellow stain, like the edges of an old scroll. Running a finger down the limbs of the bow, she blinked at the realization that the weapon was crafted of bone. Yet, the bow was not brittle and cracked; instead, as her finger lingered over it, the strange thought occurred: It's almost like the bow is alive… or sentient? With a perplexed gaze, she reevaluated the weapons hanging around the shop. What would make a weapon act this way? Is it imbued with power?

"You can sense her," came a gentle voice; Kagome pivoted to see the shopkeeper, now standing much closer, looking avidly at her with a kind smile and sparkling eyes.

"Her? You mean, the bow?" Kagome asked skeptically, eying the bow once more.

"Yes."

"But… It's a bow. How can it be a 'her'?"

The shopkeeper was silent, then a moment later had lifted the bow from its mount on the wall. She weighed it in her hands, then ran her fingers over the graceful curve; Kagome blinked at the woman's sharp claws. "She is a subtle beauty, understated and unlike the others, with power and strength at her core," the woman said, ignoring Kagome's question. I have seen many weapons pass through this shop, bought and traded without even a hint of awakening. Yet she acknowledges you, echoes your own energy." The shopkeeper frowned, squinting at the bow in her hands. "But she is not the one for you," she murmured, disappointment creeping into her tone as her shoulders fell. As quickly as she had grabbed it, she replaced the bow on the wall and turned to meet Kagome's gaze.

"I'm sorry that… the bow did not want me?" Kagome offered hesitantly.

"Another will."

She sounds so sure. "How do you know?"

Kagome did not have a chance to hear the woman's answer as Touma hissed over his shoulder, "Kagome-san, let's move." In the past few minutes, the streets had filled even more, most moving in the direction Atsuko had fled.

Kagome nodded hurriedly at the shopkeeper, mumbling out a quick "Arigatou," before she stepped out into the busy street. This time, Touma stayed half a pace ahead of her, his fingers flexing nervously on his katana's pommel. "Stay between me and the shops. We may be able to blend in with the flow of the crowd for a while," he whispered, his voice tight.

They had not traveled more than a few paces from the shop her follower appeared, blocking their way. With a flash of spectral light, a pale-haired child stood in their path, unmoving and serene next to the busy street, his apathetic violet eyes assessing them. Touma's step faltered, and he put his arm out, stopping Kagome mid-step. The child cocked his head at them, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Kagome-san, turn back," Touma said, and for the first time since he had announced his suspicions, Kagome detected a tremor of fear in his voice.

"Even if he's a demon, he's just a child, right?" Kagome asked, her eyes wide as she stared at her guard's face. "How could he be dangerous?"

"He is not just a child. Go back, we will try another way."

Kagome spun around to backtrack down the street, but another man waited, just across from the alley's entrance. He had the same pale hair as the child, an odd off-white tinged with purple, like the palest of lilacs. A dark mask, reminiscent of a muzzle, obscured most of his face, and his empty indigo eyes watched them blankly, sending a prickly wave of fear down Kagome's spine. Touma, still watching the child and backtracking in careful steps, nearly knocked her over. Glancing over his shoulder, he followed her gaze to the man and cursed under his breath.

"Through the alley."

Kagome nodded, slipping into the entrance of the alley. Again, their escape was cut short– a woman waited for them, her red eyes sharp and filled with venom, a pair of fans hanging from her sash. A malicious smile crossed the woman's lips as Kagome skidded to a halt. They were surrounded, out of options and outnumbered.

"I don't suppose you have a katana hidden in your yukata?" Touma quipped as he drew his own, the sword's metal ringing loudly in Kagome's ears.

"No, I seem to have forgotten it today," Kagome replied, fighting to keep her voice calm.

"Pity," he said, bending down to pull something from his boot; Kagome flinched as a cool metal was pressed into her palm. She looked down at the short tanto, still sheathed in her hands as trepidation rolled through her.

"Touma-kun, I barely know how to use this," she protested, though her fingers clutched the tanto's handle

"Stick 'em with the sharp bit– it'll do the trick," he said, not looking away from the man and the child.

She weighed the tanto in her hand– Sango had taught her, so long ago it seemed, a few tricks when wielding a short blade. Tricks would do her no good now. With a long glance at the shop next to them, Kagome hesitated for only a second. "I have something else in mind." She tucked the tanto into her sash, the unfamiliar weight heavy at her side. With a burst of speed fueled by fear and adrenaline, Kagome jumped towards the shop they had just visited and grabbed the pale bow she had inspected earlier. Her other hand snagged a quiver of arrows, tossing it over her shoulder with practiced ease. The shopkeeper had disappeared again, not that Kagome would have had time to explain her urgent need to borrow a weapon. Facing down the woman, she nocked an arrow, quickly returning to Touma's side. The bow thrummed in her hands, a warm pulse that spread throughout her body. Hoping that was a good sign, Kagoome whispered, "Now what?"

If Touma was surprised by her apparent familiarity with a bow, he said nothing. With a grim look, his mouth set in a firm line, his eyes flicking from child to man to woman and back again, he murmured, "I'll engage the man. Keep your arrow aimed at her," he nodded his head toward the woman, "then run towards the palace. Here, hand me the tanto," he said, reaching out his free hand. Kagome shoved tanto's handle into it, and Touma wasted no time in unsheathing the short blade.

It was a fool's plan, bred of desperation and irrational hope. Touma threw the tanto with startling accuracy, its course set for the child's torso. Had it hit, it would have been a fatal blow. As soon as he released the tanto, Touma rushed towards the man, his katana raised to strike. In a move too sudden for either Kagome or Touma to follow, a bright blur burst from the ground, passing directly through Touma's shoulder before landing on the muzzled man's shoulder. Her guard inhaled sharply, a wet guttural sound escaping his lips as he crumpled to his knees. Red blossomed from the hole in his shoulder.

The child, for all his nonchanlance, disappeared before the tanto struck, and the blade clattered to the ground, all but useless. The woman snapped open her fans, laughing at them, the cruel empty sound reverberating in the alley despite the buzz of the markets. The man stepped towards them, a grotesque creature with sickly ashen skin, massive pincers, and snake-like tail now resting on his shoulder. With abhorrent revulsion, Kagome saw the creature had a human face, identical to the man's. The child reappeared by the man's side, the pale-haired trio an imposing sight. But, the child's movement left an avenue open– they could retreat the way they intended, on the main street back towards the palace and where Atsuko hopefully was returning with reinforcements.

Her hands shook, her bowstring slack.

"Kagome-san," Touma wheezed, blood staining his lips, "You must run. Go!"

"I can't leave you!"

"You must!" The red stain grew darker and larger, Touma clutching his lame arm to his chest. His katana lay useless by his side.

What to do? What to do?! Run, and leave Touma to fight alone? She quickly discarded the thought; she could not bear to leave him wounded against so many attackers. Would they follow me instead if I did run? Could I outrun them? The flash of the creature, the abupt disappearance and reappearance of the child fresh in her mind, and Kagome faltered. She could not outrun them. Where is Atsuko?

"Atusko will return soon," Kagome countered under her breath, defiance bright in her eyes. "We just have to… we will survive until then," she said firmly, flexing her fingers and adjusting her grip on the pale bow. It hummed, light in her hands as she pulled the string taut again, leveling her arrow at the red-eyed woman.

"Stay back!" Kagome called out, willing her voice not to break. "I will not miss." I've never aimed at a person before. Yet bleak determination overshadowed her guilt, and her arrow did not waiver.

"Quit playing with her," the child commanded. "Grab her and let's go."

"Just when we were starting to have fun," sneered the woman as she snapped her fans open. Wind spiraled down the alley, whipping about Kagome's hair till it stung her face. The man, silent so far except for his heavy breathing, flashed forward, his hands raised, claw-tipped fingers poised to strike.

"NO!"

Sesshomaru slipped through a seldom-used corridor, having just evaded a trio of women intent on gaining his favor. They passed in a rush, a trailing cloud of heady perfumes in their wake. Sesshomaru sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Surely these imbeciles know we are dog demons… Stepping out on the veranda, the prince made for the dojo. With any luck, Kitayama would be there; the wolf lacked Sesshomaru's own skill, but his impressive speed made him a worthy sparring partner. It had been a few days since his last training session, and even the thought of a few hours of intense swordplay already began to relieve his pent up energies.

Once outside, a commotion caught his attention. A young girl, one of the palace servants, was crying for help, calling for any guard within earshot. Mere moments later her footsteps were fading, soft thuds as she ran away from the palace. Others followed, heavy and strong, accented by the creak of leather and dull scrape of metal. Sesshomaru kept walking as guards poured out of the nearby dojo, trailing behind the girl.

A light breeze carried her scent back to him. It was plain, simple, but tainted with sour tones of fear and doubt. Her scent did not stop him. The hint of another's, deeply intertwined with this girl's, raised his hackles and set his hair on end.

Higurashi.

*Jumei: Term for younger female cousin

I've never written fight scenes or anything quite like this chapter. Is the pacing okay? Does it make sense?

How is Kagome- is she consistent with her characterization in other chapters? I'm hoping she comes across as brave and hopeful, but I'm not sure if this chapter is too much of a departure from previous chapters.

Let me know what you think! I live for your reviews!