New Light

"Lord Tashio..is dead…."

The room grew silent, and many went back to their original goals. Kagome was wrapping a gushing wound or helping someone to a bed. Kagome felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room; whatever sound there was, she didn't hear it, and her body felt nothing.

Her husband was dead? The man they called the Demon Lord was dead? No. That wasn't right. He couldn't be dead. Not only did it just sound wrong, it felt wrong, as if there was something deep inside her body telling her that it was impossible.

She was searching again, this time for a different man altogether. Sango was trying to get her to leave the room, but she pulled harshly from her hold. "Where's Miroku?"

Stopping suddenly, Sango helped her search the room as well. But the tall, dark, and young monk was nowhere to be seen.

She grabbed the man that told her Inuyasha was dead again. "Where's Miroku?"

It was like he was confused; he didn't seem to understand why it mattered. And when he couldn't give Kagome an answer, she spun on her heel and left.

Sure, she could help those inside and probably should, but she also couldn't sit still. Not now. Sango was on her heels; Kagome could hear her but didn't let it slow or stop her. And Sango blindly followed until they got back to her room.

"My Lady, what are you doing?"

She flung the kimono she had on across a chair, quickly tugging on a pair of wide trousers from home. Aged, they were thick, warm, and efficient. "I'm going after my husband."

"Kagome…."

"If he were dead, then Miroku would bring in his body himself."

"Unless Miroku is dead as well."

Stopping for only a moment, she glared up at her guard. "Then I will bring back their bodies for a proper burial."

Sango was blindsided, stuck in what she should do. Kagome heard her curse and start to prep alongside her. "We will go after them. I'm not letting you out of my sight, my Lady."

"So you are the lady of this home?"

They both froze, turning slowly towards the door they had left open. Kikyo stood in all her grace, looking her and the space over. Now that she was no longer dressed as a lady, Kikyo sees her for the first time? Kagome didn't have time to worry about it, grabbing her quiver again and strapping it to her back.

"Forgive me, Lady Kikyo, but I must be off."

"Off? Off where? To meet Lord Tashio?"

She shook her head, "No, to save him." Then, pulling her bow onto her shoulder, she stopped for a moment and looked back at the beauty. "Lord Tashio is lost, and we are going to go find him. They are saying he is...dead. So you should prepare yourself."

Lady Kikyo looked shocked but recovered quickly. "So considerate to a woman like me. Thank you."

Without making a single sound, Kikyo walked away, and Kagome marveled at her abilities. Sango huffed in the fleeting form's direction. "No, we don't need any help. But thanks for the offer."

Kagome chuckled, pulling her father's haori a little tighter around herself. "She would have just gotten in the way." Sango eyed her, silently saying Kagome might get in the way too. "I'm not a ninja, but I can help. And take care of myself and those I love."

Suddenly, she found herself in Sango's hold, her face in the ninja's hands. "And that's why you will always be far better than women like Kikyo."

She wasn't sure if Sango meant because she was self-sufficient or something else, but she didn't have the time to ask. Going through town, they grabbed a couple of willing and able men to take them back to where they last saw Tashio. A few horses and one wagon, and they were on their way. She just hoped they weren't bringing back a lifeless body.

oOo

The path slowly became more and more treacherous, turning from soft dirt to uneven rock. To make matters worse, it started snowing halfway up the mountain, blanketing the road in slick ice. But she refused to stop even if it was a fool's journey. The men with her seemed to agree, their means for atonement after leaving their master behind. And Sango was determined to keep Kagome alive. So everyone had their reasons, and that was what pushed all of them along.

Night fell, and no matter how much she wanted to press on, even she had to agree it was dangerous to travel in the dark here. Everyone was silent around the warm fire, watching the flames dance.

"You know...Lord Tashio saved my life once." The one called Handu spoke, cracking the silence open.

"Me too." The other man with them, Sab added.

She was smiling warmly at the two of them when Sango began to speak. "No one ever gave me a chance until him. A woman warrior? They laughed at me. But not Tashio. He put me on his guard and gave me what he considers the most important position in his household."

Sango said no more, but Kagome was curious. "What was the most important job?"

Sango's eyes jumped to her from the flame -surprised- and a smile slowly spread across her face. "Protecting you, his most prized possession."

oOo

Kagome could see now why the pass was where they lost the fight. So tight, she worried the wagon would get stuck. And it all made Sango nervous. "Stop!" Everyone froze, the horses on edge too. "We need to take the high ground."

The men glanced around and then back at the two of them. Both women sat at the helm of the wagon. "Sango?"

"Don't you all smell it?"

Tilting her head up, Kagome sniffed the air. There was something on it that was strange, but she couldn't place it. "What is that?"

"It's tar. What they use for dipping arrows in and set them on fire." Sab answered.

"We're not the only ones that came back," Handu added.

"Leave the wagon; it will only slow us down. We'll go on foot."

The men didn't question Sango, and neither did she, dismounting their means of transport and following behind Sango as she climbed the rocks. It was steep, but they didn't go too high, walking along the top of the craved path. They hadn't gone far when Sango pressed Kagome down to her knees, gesturing to the others to get down frantically.

With the sun barely risen, the snow up to their shins, and still falling, it was hard to see a thing. But she could still see the rocks that had caved in along the path and the three men that stood before them. There was no doubt that Inuyasha, Miroku, and Myouga and neither of them looked well, bright red blood standing out painfully against the snow.

Her vision was locked, and she was ready; Sango nearly had to tackle her to keep her from rolling down the mountainside to Inuyasha's side. But, in her ecstatic haze, she missed that the three men weren't alone. So far from it, in fact.

At least twenty men had the three injured men blocked in. The one at the front of them all looked even more like a demon than anyone she had ever seen before, covered in a thick coat made of black fur.

The two men with him propped up Inuyasha, but once the pack leader stepped up to them, she watched as he pushed the two away and drew his sword. "He intends to fight? In his condition? He can hardly stand!"

"And they are outnumbered," Sab said sadly.

"What choice do they have? It's fight or die, and Lord Tashio isn't going to go down easily!"

She was already getting her bow off her back when the others looked sternly at her. "Look, I may have never killed a person before, but I know I can get them out of the way."

"Can you kill if you have to, though? Release that arrow into the heart of someone that threatens to rip out yours?" Sango asked, her face blank with seriousness.

"No...not mine. But of those I love? Without question."

Sango looked to the men and gave them a slight nod. They moved away towards the slope to silently make their way down. Kagome went to follow but was stopped again by Sango. "You stay up here and provide cover. Archers should have the high ground."

It was true, so she didn't fight her. Plus, she would only get in the way down there with them. It did add to her number of people to protect. But Kagome had a feeling the only ones she truly had to worry about were the ones already injured and stupid enough to fight.

The element of surprise was their only aid in this. So Kagome watched as Sango, Sab, and Handu snuck up behind the large group of dangerous men. They were busy watching the battle, Inuyasha's sword clanging loudly against his foe's. No one else moved, not even Miroku and Myouga save for the occasional twitch, wanting to help their master but not allowed to do so. Inuyasha probably told the two of them to stay out of it.

She had never seen Inuyasha in a fight, but she was certain he wasn't at his best. One of his arms hung limp at his side, and his movements were slow and sloppy. His sparring partner was playing with him, too, pushing him in ways that forced him to use parts of himself that were already injured.

A few small grunts caught her attention, looking towards the group's back to find a few men on the ground. They were making their move.

It wouldn't be long now; the bodies on the ground would soon be seen. So Kagome readied her first arrow and took a deep breath. She didn't have to kill; she just had to maim. It would knock them down and stop their fight. When too many of them were injured, they would retreat.

"HEY!"

Handu was caught, so she sunk an arrow into the man's shoulder. He fell like a stone with a groan, and Handu didn't pause. The three of them dropped the small knives they had been using and pulled out their swords instead, getting surrounded quickly.

Arrow after arrow, she cleared a path for them, and the enemy was fully alerted to them now. "GET THE ARCHER!"

Uh oh, that was her.

Scrambling to her feet, Kagome moved from one end to the other, getting more targets but keeping herself from becoming one. As long as she never fired from the same place twice, they wouldn't be able to find her.

Their numbers were dwindling, the three on the ground making quick work while she made sure no one touched them. Four against twenty, and they were making easy work of it.

A cry of pure agony drew her attention away from her work, her heart dropping into her shoes. Inuyasha still stood but barely. Blood was dripping down his right shoulder, but that wasn't the worst of it. The worst was the sword now jutting out of his belly. He fell to his knees, and she was already running, smacking her shoulders into strangers as she raced without thought to him.

Unable to see over the crowd, she got peeks now and then at Lord Tashio on the ground. He was still on his knees, yet to fall fully. In contrast, his enemy had pulled his sword from Inuyasha's stomach and held it above them, planning on cutting her husband's head off.

oOo

It was dark and hard to breathe, but Inuyasha was alive. It was pure luck, the falling rocks landing in a manner that had him cocooned by them, a small space just for his vital organs. His left arm wasn't so lucky, crushed and trapped under a few rocks; he had to get it free first. Careful not to pop the bubble he was in, he extracted his arm. The only thing that appeared broken was his wrist, but it was hard to tell in the light he had and that his shoulder was dislocated. It had gotten yanked out when the rocks fell and pulled his trapped limb.

Now he had to figure out how to get out of his coffin, pushing slightly on the ones before him. Inuyasha wouldn't be so lucky that only a thin layer of rock was between him and freedom. Pulling one at a time, he was running out of space to put them. And he was hurt and tired.

It became clear to him; he was going to starve to death before he made it out.

He wasn't giving up, just resting. That's what Inuyasha told himself as he sat on the ruble under him. Cradling his arm, he tried not to think about Kagome, but it was impossible. If he had been focused, then maybe he wouldn't be in this mess now. But there was nothing he could do about that now, so what harm was there in thinking about her?

A lot. A lot of harm as Kagome's smile came into his mind because he realized he would probably never see it again.

No, he couldn't think like that. He couldn't think about Kagome. It only distracted him and made him weak.

Getting back to his feet, he got back to work. Endless and terrible, he made little headway when he started hearing voices. He must have hit his head a few times; it did sting a bit. Two voices now, they reminded him of Miroku and Myouga. Of course, his mind would make him hear their voices. Why couldn't he hear Kagome's? That would be nice, her voice in his head as the last thing he 'heard'.

The sound of rocks falling started to make it over the voices; his bubble was caving in on him. That's what Inuyasha thought, but nothing happened even though the sound continued when he braced himself as best he could.

Light peeked through the rocks, and he slowly got his wits about him to look through the small hole that appeared. "There you are, my Lord."

Never had he been so happy to see Myouga's round and wrinkled face. "Hey…"

"Step back; things might get a little...wild."

He couldn't see him, but he heard Miroku and stood back. For a thin guy, Miroku was surprisingly strong when he needed to be. This was something he had known for years, but it never ceased to amaze him. Inuyasha breathed in the fresh air several minutes later, and soft cold flakes fell on his skin. He had no clue how long he'd been in there, but it felt like days, and there was no light in the sky.

"We have to get across the rockslide to get home."

He groaned with Myouga's information, not a word said otherwise as the two of them took a side. Nearly lifting him, the three of them began their journey in the dark with snow. A small slip could break bones or crack skulls, so they were silent the entire time, focusing on their feet and the rock path beneath them.

Dawn was breaking when they reached the other side, sliding down it from time to time thanks to exhaustion. When they reached more level and stable ground, they all fell to the ground, panting.

"Where are the rest of the men?"

The rocks covered a small portion of the pass, enough to bury several people, and he had a feeling that's where many of his men were. Only a few bodies littered the access before them, but he doubted all of them were under the rocks.

"Those that survived left already, I suppose. With no proof of life and their lives on the line, they fled."

"But you two stayed. Even with your injuries."

Miroku was sporting a nasty cut across his brow and a limp. Myouga had gashes on his back that ripped his coat and shirt, exposing him to the elements. It was hard to believe the three of them would make it home as they were, but they sure as hell would try.

Myouga took a few steps ahead of them and visibly stiffened. "What is it, old man?"

Ignoring his jab and attempt to lighten the mood, Myouga searched around the limited space. "I smell tar."

He really must have hit his head because not only could he not smell anything, he couldn't focus on his surroundings. The snow blurred together and made the shapes more like shadows—shadows that moved.

Loud and fearless, a chuckle echoed off the rock walls as dark shadow after dark shadow dropped from the walls around them. The men that had caused the cave-in and chased off his men were still there—waiting for them.

They all slowly wandered their way up to the three of them, no clear leader in sight, until one split off and stepped up. His black eyes matched the black fur he had on his shoulders. In a top knot, his brown hair curled in places and made the man look feminine. That was the only part of the guy that looked soft, the rest of him dark and feral. The sword on his hip even looked raw in its makeup, chipped and bent from years of abuse.

"I hear you're looking for the leader of the rebellious rabble?" He was staring right at Inuyasha, but the question was for all three of them. "Well...congratulations, you found him."

The rabble then laughed with the creature, the sound bouncing around and making it sound like the pit of hell. "What do you want?"

Sneering, the man looked back at Inuyasha with malice in his eyes. "I want everything you have. I want your life."

"Sorry. It's mine, and I don't share."

With nothing more to say, Inuyasha pushed his men away and drew his sword. The man slowly followed, the sneer still on his face. He couldn't lift his left arm, so Inuyasha was forced to use his right. Good thing he trained with both for situations like this. Didn't mean he felt any better about the situation he was in. It seemed as though he just wasn't meant to live past today.

"Sorry, Kagome. It looks like I'm making you a widow pretty early on." Inuyasha muttered to himself.

"What was that?" The monster circling him asked.

"Nothing."

A nod and the fight began. With Inuyasha's strength where it was, blocking the guy's blows was hard enough. But he was moving around and going for his weak spots. Inuyasha had many at the moment. It didn't help that his head was a mess, and his pain was distracting him. At full strength, he and his sparring partner would be even. As it was now, Inuyasha wasn't even at half his force. He was stuck in a tomb for who knew how long; Inuyasha had no energy to burn to battle his injuries.

This was far from a fair fight, and the animal he faced had no problem being that kind of coward.

He could barely hold his sword up, Myouga and Miroku were no longer in his peripheral, and the sounds of a battle were echoing off the rocks now. If Myouga and Miroku were taking on all twenty men by themselves, in their shape, they would be joining him in death as well.

Blocking a swing to his neck, Inuyasha took the blade to his shoulder instead, the crooked sword cutting a jagged mark down to his chest. Pain left him immobile, only adding to it when the creature stuck his sword through the side of his belly.

Missing vital organs, it was clear. The guy was playing with his food.

But now that Inuyasha could no longer stand, he was done playing, holding his sword up high to behead him. Watching the man's face, he memorized it, hoping to attach his soul to the bastard and haunt him until his death. The monster was grinning, proud of himself for his cowardice win.

Arms stretched up, Inuyasha kept his focus on the bastard's face and noticed when his grin dropped. A quick search for the cause and he found a small arrowhead pressed to the side of his neck.

"Drop. Your. Sword."

His mind was playing tricks on him. Or he was already dead because Kagome stood on her tiptoes, pressing an arrowhead into the neck of his would-be killer. Inuyasha tried to get to his feet and her side when the prick began to laugh.

"And just who do you think you are, little girl?"

Kagome pressed the arrow into the man's skin, drawing blood. The bastard couldn't see the look of terror on her face from her actions, but Inuyasha could, and it broke his heart. "I'm Lady Tashio, his wife. Now drop your sword. I won't ask you again."

The sword dropped loudly but didn't cover the laugh the son of a bitch released. Kagome was foolish, releasing the guy to come to his side. He wrapped dead limbs around her to try and protect her, but he was useless.

"Well, Tashio, it appears you've got yet another thing for me to covet."

Kagome pulled Inuyasha to his feet, ignoring the monster even as he crept closer. "Your men are dead or will be soon if you don't tend to then. You've lost, so be on your way with your life and be thankful you have that much."

Somehow, Kagome managed to steady her voice while the rest of her shook against him. Then, holding her head up high, she walked right past the bastard, who only continued to laugh at her. He found her so damn amusing. Kagome ignored the man while Inuyasha seethed. The last thing he wanted was anyone coveting his wife. That was something he just couldn't handle.

He refused to put all his weight on Kagome, such a small woman, and his, he wouldn't do that to her. The haori she wore whenever she had the chance was important to her; that much he knew even if he didn't know the why. So Inuyasha didn't want to get his blood on it.

Handu appeared and took his other side while Kagome pushed Miroku away when trying to take her place. He was happy to see Sango only because he didn't like the idea of Kagome coming here all alone. They all passed the dead and bleeding, Inuyasha and the two he started this with limping their way along.

The snow was quickly covering their tracks. It didn't matter because the rabble leader knew who Inuyasha was and where to find him. All the snow did was slow their journey and remind him of Kagome dancing in it.

A wagon was before him, and Sab had to help Handu in getting him in it. Kagome was by Inuyasha's side when he was forced to his back, her hands going over his body. "I need to stop his bleeding!"

"It'll stop soon enough," Inuyasha answered in his haze of confusion and happiness.

Kagome's teal eyes found his, the tears they held making them sparkle. "Yeah, when your heart stops beating!"

"What are you...doing here?"

Hurt registered on her face, and he regretted the question. "I'm here to bring you home. Alive!"

Lifting his head as much as his body would allow, he glared at the back of Sango as she sat at the helm of the wagon. "You let her come here?"

"I didn't have much of a choice, my Lord. She would have come without me if I told her no."

A grin found its way on his face—looking back at his wife. "Stubborn wench."

The look on Kagome's face had Inuyasha laughing. An action he also regretted, pain searing through his body and climbing his spine to his mind. Add in the jarring of the road to the wagon, and he soon went in and out of consciousness. At least Inuyasha would die surrounded by the people he cared the most about in this world.

oOo

They didn't stop, and Kagome hoped that was a good choice, making it to town in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, Inuyasha had a fever on top of his wounds. He probably had an infection, something they would have to wait out and see if he survived.

Oddly, his bleeding stopped all on its own, just as Inuyasha said it would. But she still wrapped his wounds tight and braced his wrist. By his side and going nowhere, she stayed up with him, changing the cold towel on his burning forehead.

Maids came and went, but she barely registered them, focusing on the suffering man beside her. Two days now, and Inuyasha had yet to wake.

Sango sat across from her, watching her while she watched her husband. "You should get some rest."

"I rested! Right here."

She pointed to the floor next to Inuyasha, and Sango sighed. "I mean, really rest. In a bed."

"I'm fine. I don't want to leave Lord Tashio."

"Someone just as capable can watch him. And we will get you if anything changes." Kagome's answer was silence while remaining still. "You are stubborn." Sango chuckled, looking tired as well. "I'm sure you didn't notice or hear, but Kikyo left after we did."

"Left? Where did she go?"

"Who knows. Probably home. I'm sure she heard Inuyasha was dead and moved on."

Taking the warmed cloth off his head, Kagome carefully rewetted it in cold water from the melted snow and placed it back on Inuyasha's forehead without getting a drop on him. "I'm sure Kikyo thought he was dead and left to mourn."

"Do you always think the best of people?" Sango whispered as loudly as she could.

She didn't have an answer, but it would have been interrupted anyway, Inuyasha murmuring in his sleep. When he started to twitch, Sango had to help her hold him down. "No….no..NO! Kikyo…..NO!"

The ache in her heart was from his heartbreak, nothing more. That's what she told herself as she listened to her husband say another woman's name in his sleep. He was having fever dreams and probably reliving his worst nightmare, losing the woman he loved.

"Kagome….Kagome…"

There was something she couldn't deny in his tone, the way he said her name. It had her calming quickly, just as he did. Inuyasha's thrashing stopped, and his heart settled. Kagome carefully reset his cold pad, taking a moment to brush the wild hairs off his face. Never before had she seen his hair down like this, laying out wild around him and making him look like a god.

Leaning down, Kagome placed her mouth at Inuyasha's ear and whispered. "I'm right here. And I'm not going anywhere."