Chapter 7


Nauki opened her eyes weakily. The light coming through the room from the small window hurt her eyes. After being unconscious for so long, her body had finally gained enough energy for her to remain conscious for a short amount of time. No one was in the room with her. Where was Aya? Nauki figured she was around the hut doing chores.
The sixteen-year-old hanyou-hanenjeru tried desperatly to lift her head. She managed to lift it an inch before it fell back. Nauki swore. Her ears twitched at the sound of her voice. It was barely audible and soft due to the fact that she hadn't spoken in weeks. *I'm tired of laying here. I want to get up. I'm a demon! I need to get up!* Nauki's anger was growing. She tried frantically to move her arms and legs. They were budging slightly.
Nauki wanted to scream.
Aya sat up straight, her mind alert. Her eyes widened. She froze as the kitten walked around her claws. *Is Nauki awake?* The kitten mewed.
"Aya? What's wrong, sweetheart," Kagome asked as she watched her daughter. "Aya?"
Aya blinked coming out of it. Her parents had no idea how telepathic she was, or to what extent. "I'm fine, Mama."
"Are you sure?" Kagome walked over to her. She kneeled down. "You don't look fine."
Aya looked behind her down the path to the hut. "Is anyone back home?" She hoped Nauki wouldn't try to get up.
"Hmm?" Kagome blinked her eyes. "Your father and brother are there. Why do you ask?"
Aya turned around, smiling weakily. "No, reason." *I hope papa's still there. I don't know what Oda's reaction will be if he finds Nia awake. The way he's been acting lately is depressed and it's unlike him.* Aya rose. "Come on Hisho," she called the cat. "Let's go find you some nice fish at the creek." The kitten strutted after her.

*I've got to get up!!* Nauki struggled as she tried over and over to lift her head. Her head fell again as she panted. "P....P...Pa...Pa...," she said faintly. "P...Pa..Pa...." No answer. Nauki started to cry. She felt helpless and she hated it.
"What's wrong? Are you hungry," Oda asked as he stood near her. He had smelled her tears from the other end of the hut. He crouched down. Slowly he lifted a claw to his sister's face. He paused as Nauki tensed. "Nia, I'm not going to hurt you," he said sadly.
"H...h...ow....am....I.....s-sup...posed to...be-lieve...you...," she said weakily, the tears stinging her eyes.
Oda laid over her gently, wrapping his arms around her. He put his head on his sister's shoulder. *There isn't any words I can say to make you believe me. I'll just have to show you, Nauki.* Oda looked back at her as he wiped her eyes. "Why are you crying?"
Nauki watched him, but wasn't as afraid as she was before. "U..up...I..want..to..get...u-up...."
"Papa said not to move you. He said it might re-open the wound." Nauki's helplessness ginally got to her. She erupted in tears, her breathing increasing. Oda felt sorry for her. Nauki had always protected them no matter how cruel they were to her. *Her limbs are weak because she hasn't moved in so long. Her muscles need to wake back up.*
Oda moved his claws down to his sister's arm. He started to gently massage her arm in order to make her feel less constricted. Nauki relaxed a little when she found out he wasn't going to hurt her. The tears were still flowing down her face. "Nia, it's o.k. I'll ask papa if you can get up." Oda wiped her tears away again. He couldn't imagine almost dying then feeling helpless.
Nauki didn't really understand why Oda was concerned about her. She watched him massage her arm. *Why is he helping me? Usually he's cruel and doesn't worry about anyone but himself. What could have caused him to change?*
Oda moved down to her legs after he had finished both of her arms. "Is that better," he asked her. He felt Nauki nod. He was sort of reluctant that he was helping her. Oda knew he couldn't take care of her as re-payment for helping him in the past. Despite everything, he did care about her.
Nauki felt tired again. She couldn't help being unconscious. Nauki's eyes started to droop. She wanted to stay up. "You're probably tired because you haven't eaten anything. Your body can't sustain life without nourishment," Oda said. He had to admit he sounded just like Miroku for a split second. He shook his head, shaking it off. "What I'm trying to say is, I can bring you something to eat, but I'll have to pick you up and feed it to you." He didn't want her to choke. He wasn't really sure if she could swallow on her own.
Nauki nodded softly. If he hadn't hurt her by now, then he wasn't going to. At least, that's what she figured.
Oda got up and went into the kitchen at the front of the hut to get something that wasn't hard to chew. His only real fear was getting into trouble with his father.Inuyasha didn't play around about Nauki's wound. He was still having the aftershock of Nauki dying and coming back to life. Oda couldn't imagine being in his father's position. *Papa must be seriously worried. I guess he deals with a lot more than I have thought.*

Oda picked Nauki up gently. She was stiff as a board. If he had been a human, Oda probably wouldn't have lifted Nauki on his own on account for her being dead weight. He gently laid her head on his shoulder.
Nauki grabbed onto her brother's purple kimono. *He smells like grass.* She opened her mouth slowly ashe stuck a small piece of fish in. Nauki chewed it softly then swallowed. She coughed instantly.
Oda lowered his head to watch her. "Nia, you o.k.?" He patted her back. "Don't swallow hard. If you need water, I can go get some."
Nauki shook her head. She didn't want to be trouble for anyone; not even her brother. *I feel like a helpless infant.*
"Nia." Oda liften a smaller piece to her mouth. She opened again. "Swallow slowly," he told her.

Inuyasha came inside the hut with a barrel of rice. He walked to the first room where the extension had been made. After he set it down, he werent to go check on Nauki. "Huh?" He froze at the entrance. He saw Oda feeding her. *What's been going on since I've been gone?*
He walked into the room slowly. "Oda, is your sister alright?" Oda nodded. He kneeled down. Inuyasha reached a claw up to touch her face. "Are you alright, Little?" Nauki nodded gently.
Inuyasha rubbed his thumb against her cheek. He was happy to see her eating. It meant Nauki was getting better. *I think you're out of danger now, Nauki. I couldn't be happier.* He leaned foreward, then kissed her softly on the forehead. "Oda, be every careful with her. I don't want her wound to re-open. It could kill her."
"I know, papa, that's why I only lifted her and didn't move her," Oda said.
Inuyasha scruffed his son's hair. "Good boy. Nauki, do you want Oda, or me to stay with you?"
"O-...Od..a...," she said weakily.
"Alright. You heard her Raven. You're in charge." Inuyasha got up and walked out of the room. *I'm glad Raven is learning to care about others. I don't want him learning the hard way like I did.*