FYI: "..." = talking | ... = thinking | **...** = flashback

Disclaimer: Inuyasha - Sengoku o-Togi Zoushi (Inu-Yasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale) was created by Takahashi Rumiko and is distributed in North America by Viz. I have no right to use Takahashi-sama's characters in any manner whatsoever... but I am hoping she does not mind my borrowing them for a bit.


Contentment
Chapter Two
~ realization ~


The snow was diving and twirling around the hanyou as he determinedly cut a path through the forest. Inuyasha was getting increasingly annoyed. Not only had a Shikon shard fallen out of their grasp but they were also stuck in the middle of some freak blizzard! Not to mention the fact that Kagome had been acting particularly unpredictable lately. His jaw clenched at the thought.

Humans...

The cold was slowing them down, especially Kagome, and he was anxious to get his hands on that shard. The demoness had escaped when the weather had started to change late in the evening, taking advantage of the changing winds and Inuyasha was unable to track her. Kagome had been little help as she seemed suddenly unable to sense exactly where the fragment was located.

The cold must be clogging her brain he thought sourly and then shook his head. He knew by her scent that she was ill, but she hadn't said anything about it so he felt that he didn't need to either.

The snow crunched beneath his feet as his mind drifted back to the demoness. His only condolence was that she was surprisingly weak considering she had a shard embedded into her flesh, and she was badly injured as well. He guessed she was more human than youkai anyway. She would not be able to get very far from where their confrontation had been interrupted. Inuyasha would track her down tomorrow when the storm broke. Then he would forcefully remove the Shikon fragment from her neck with his claws. A cruel smile parted his lips as he enjoyed the anticipation.

He glanced over his shoulder to check on Kagome when he heard her start to cough again. He paused and watched her shoulders shake as the coughing ensued. He did not like the sound of it, but felt any help from him would be rejected. He was glad that they were in a part of the valley that he was familiar with navigating. A small, rundown cabin was only a short distance away and he figured the sooner they got out of the snow, the better for them both.

Inuyasha watched her rest for a moment and felt the urge to go check on her pass through his mind. He had offered to carry her on his back earlier, but she had refused, saying that she could manage fine and to leave her alone.

His face tightened at the memory of her stubbornness. Shrugging his shoulders, he granted her wish and set off determinedly through the snow, making it a point to only speak to her when necessary. He could match her stubbornness with ease.

When Kagome had finally waved at him, he turned around briskly and continued to break a path in the snow for her. He didn't like the fact that he couldn't smell her or clearly hear her footfalls behind him, but he wasn't about to turn around and get her. Hurt pride and his own stubborn nature were the only things keeping him from picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way whether she liked it or not. If it were not for her odd behavior, he probably would have done just that.

She had become increasingly confusing and he was at his wits end trying to figure out what was going on in her mind. Kagome had been unusually quiet and closed off to him for the past few weeks. He was certain she was trying to avoid him most of the time.

He frowned; she was definitely not acting like herself. He would have to ask her about what was bothering her once they got to the cabin. With the kitsune cub, hentai priest and the youkai hunter waiting for them back at the village, it would be the perfect opportunity to talk to Kagome without interruption from the likes of them.

After a few more meters, Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder to check on Kagome, the whiteness of the snow obscuring his visage. He paused and waited for her to appear... and waited. Concern building in his chest, he slowly began to retrace his steps as he continued to search the trail for any sign of her. Kagome still did not materialize. He bit his lip and scanned the area more thoroughly, the fringes of true panic beginning to form in his chest.

"Kagome!?" He shouted into the wind, knowing that she would not be able to hear him.

"Kagome!" Retracing his steps more hastily, he silently prayed that she didn't wander off the trail somehow. It would be almost impossible to track her in these conditions.

"Kuso..." he muttered under his breath, Where is that girl!?

Inuyasha hastily walked another meter back down the trail when he noticed something black peaking out of a snow-bank. As he moved closer, he saw a pair of feet sticking out as well. He rushed forward and found Kagome face down, partially buried with her backpack visible just above the snow line. Forcing himself to remain calm, he gently picked her up and held her tightly.

How long...? When the hell did she fall?!

He brushed some of the snow off her face and clenched his jaw worriedly when he saw the paleness of her flesh and the purplish tinge to her lips. He put his palm against her cheek and fear ebbed into his heart. Her skin felt... unnatural.

"K-Kagome? Wake up, Kagome. Come on..."

She remained motionless in his arms, her eyes tightly closed and her mouth slightly agape. The intense howling of the wind made it impossible for him to hear the sound of her breathing. He pulled her face up closer to his and inhaled her scent. She was definitely alive, but her scent was odd... frighteningly odd. The waning scent of vomit clung to her, but more intense than that was the reeking stench of illness.

Panic was quickly replaced by anger and he grit his teeth, Damn it Kagome! Stupid girl! What the hell were you thinking?! He knelled down in the snow and put her on his lap while he removed the top of his gi. It was thoroughly wet from the snow but still warm from his body heat. He wrapped her in it as best he could and then threw her backpack over his shoulder before picking her up in his arms. He knew the cabin was close... he just needed to get there.

Cradling her chilled form against his chest, Inuyasha started to run toward shelter.


The sounds of objects being thrown about followed by several more colorful expletives filled the chilled air of the cabin as frustration was quickly boiling into rage. Inuyasha had spent almost ten minutes frantically searching for something... anything that could be used to help warm up Kagome and he did not have time to waste.

Whoever had abandoned the cabin took everything with any value or use with them. Only a couple of damaged wooden chests and a broken bench remained, both considerably old and rotten. There was also a fireplace, but he didn't have the time to go searching for flint stones and leaving Kagome alone in her current state was out of the question.

Time was his primary enemy and the freezing cold was winning. She was slowly freezing to death before his very eyes.

Inuyasha grunted and punched one of the wooden chests, causing it to break apart under his fist. He took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair trying to remain calm. Worry over Kagome's health was the only thing keeping him from destroying the cabin in a fit of frustration.

Clenching his jaw tightly, Inuyasha turned around and stared at Kagome. She was lying on the floor in a fetal position with Inuyasha's wet gi wrapped around her, shivering violently. She didn't seem to be aware of what was going on around her. She just stared off into space in a daze; her eyes partially open yet unseeing.

Alarm and dread continued to build in Inuyasha's mind with every passing moment. The young human needed some medicinal plants, a fire and many blankets, none of which Inuyasha could provide for her. The gnawing helpless feeling centered in his gut was slowing starting to spread throughout his entire being.

Inuyasha moved toward Kagome and carefully sat down beside her. Her arms were tangled up in his gi and her legs were tucked up under her chin. Wet black hair was plastered to her face, which was still paler than he liked but her lips were no longer quite as purple.

Inuyasha hesitantly pulled her up onto to his lap and wrapped his arms around her trying to share his body heat with hers, gently rocking her back and forth. They were both soaked to the bone and he doubted that his efforts to warm her were very effective, but it was all he could do.

He scanned the room again in the vain hope that he had missed something when he remembered her backpack. His heart leapt into his throat with hope as anxious amber eyes darted about the cabin, searching for the familiar article only to find that it wasn't anywhere in sight.

I brought it with me, didn't I? Where...?

Kagome squirmed slightly in his arms and he adjusted himself in order to hold her better when he realized that perhaps he had left the thing outside. Hope once again started to build in his chest. Gently laying her down on the floor he whispered, "I'll be right back, Kagome."

He rose swiftly and forcefully pushed open the door, noting with disgust that the snow had already built up enough outside to bury the door to just above his knees. The cold wind hit him hard, blowing snow into his face, temporarily blinding him. He mentally cursed himself for leaving the damn thing outside, as he shielded his eyes with his arm.

If he in fact had brought it with him to begin with.

The snow crunched under his feet as he stepped gingerly outside, carefully closing the door behind him. Lowering his face to keep the snow from hitting his eyes, he began his search. The footsteps leading to the cabin were already deeply buried, as were any other external evidence of their passage. He had no clues as to where the backpack lay, nor could he recollect exactly what he did with it. After several precious minutes of searching the vicinity of the cabin, the backpack was still nowhere to be found, he resigned himself to the fact that he'd lost it and didn't have the luxury to go searching for it now, not when Kagome needed him.

Tears pricked at his eyes as he thought of Kagome slowly freezing to death with every passing moment. Freezing to death because he couldn't build a fire or find a blanket. He balled his hands into tight fists, his claws drawing blood from his palms as a sense of self-defeat threatened to overwhelm him.

No! She's not dead yet! I'm not going to give up! Turning on his heel, he made his way back toward the cabin, determined to save her… somehow.

The door was once again blocked by drifting snow, he noted with ire. Using his foot, Inuyasha began kicking the snow away from the door grumbling his displeasure and cursing himself for dragging her away from the safety of the village to begin with.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha seethed, rubbing his recently stubbed toe as he glared at the offending object that caused his pain. His rubbing slowed as his interest in the object increased. Dropping to his knees, he examined it more closely and his breath caught in his throat as he recognized it. The backpack he had been searching for was completely buried in the snow and resting right next to the door. Right in the very spot he must have dropped it in his haste to get Kagome inside the shelter of the cabin.

"BAKA!"

With newfound enthusiasm, Inuyasha dug out the rest of the snow blocking the door and forced it open. He picked up the backpack and slammed the door shut behind him, snow melting at his feet.

Inuyasha tore open the bag in a rush, not caring if he damaged the thing or not. Turning it upside down, he shook out its contents onto the rotting wooden floor, unfamiliar objects clattering at his feet. Extra clothes (which were damp and partly frozen he noted in disgust), a kettle, grooming supplies, books, and various items he didn't recognize... the sleeping bag!

He grabbed it excitedly and examined it. The top of it was wet and some ice had formed in a few spots, but it was made out of that odd material from her world. Kagome claimed it was waterproof or something. He fumbled with the metal lock that held it closed; hoping with every fiber of his being that the inside of the sleeping bag was dry.

The lock was tormenting him, resisting his yanks and pulls. He felt like just tearing it open, but he dared not damage it. Besides, he had seen her open it dozens of times it couldn't be that hard... there! The metal tab finally yielded to him and the sleeping bag opened, Inuyasha couldn't help but to smile in triumph.

He carefully laid the opened sleeping bag down on the floor to inspect it and nearly cried with relief when he felt the dry interior. At least now Kagome would be out of the immediate danger of freezing to death. Turning his attention back to the girl, he realized he was not quite done yet. She needed to be dry first, which meant he would have to undress her. He swallowed hard at the thought, his heart pounding frantically in his chest. Kagome was always quick to execute the multiple "sits" when she felt her modesty was being imposed upon.

Inuyasha set his jaw nervously, "Kago..." he suddenly trailed off when she moved ever so slightly beside him.

Clearing his throat, he mentally cursed himself for feeling nervous over something so... trivial. Stubborn pride kicked in and he tried again, determined to not let some near catatonic girl intimidate him. "Kagome, you have to get out of these clothes. I have to get you dry."

There. He had informed her of his intentions, his conscious clear. He was no letch like that so-called Buddhist priest, Miroku.

Unblinking eyes stared back at him in response. He bit his lip nervously and decided to take that as permission to proceed with his task.

Carefully unwrapping her from his gi and removing her coat, Inuyasha tried not to think about what he was doing too much. He tried to force himself to go through the motions of pulling off her sweater and the rest of her outer garments as quickly and as automatically as he could.

The thing she used to bind her breasts was confusing, but it needed to come off. It too, was wet and had to go. He didn't know how it was supposed to be put on or come off so he just pulled her arms out of the straps and pulled the rest of it off over her head and tossed it aside. She still had on one last piece of clothing, but decided it was best to leave that particular item where it was in the hope that Kagome wouldn't feel too angry with him when she finally woke-up.

The chilled air in the cabin caused the goose bumps already adorning her flesh to rise even more and he quickly began to gather her up in his arms. Snaking one arm under her shoulders and pulling her up toward his chest, he froze.

Her skin was clammy and felt like it was on fire.

Laying his palm against her face and chest confirmed his fear. She was burning up with fever and he did not have any herbs or medicines to help her. Shivers of too pale flesh caught his attention and he quickly laid her down on the bag and wrapped it tightly around her.

Inuyasha began rubbing her arms and legs through the sleeping bag as he wracked his brain with ideas about what to do about her fever. It never occurred to him that the reason she was so close to freezing to death was because her body was losing all its warmth through fever.

That meant she was still in a lot of danger.

Inuyasha frowned, it would be near impossible to find any medicinal plants in the blizzard and he still did not feel comfortable with the idea of leaving her alone. He chewed on his lip thinking as his eyes settled on her backpack and it's remains scattered about the floor.

Did she bring that first aid kit of hers? I wonder if it has something I can use...

He quickly rummaged through her pack and the discarded items laying about the floor, picking up various objects and then tossing them aside. Soon he came upon a small, odd-looking box with brightly colored kanji written on it. He read the box carefully, the words "Fever Reducer" written in small characters jumping out at him. Smiling at his good fortune, he returned to Kagome and sat down beside her.

Pulling the box apart, a silvery-looking piece of hard paper fell out landing on his foot and falling onto the floor. Contained within the hard paper were two... seeds? He stared at them inquisitively, wondering what they actually were.

Reading the box again, he realized they were called capsules and he had to push the capsule-things out of the hard paper and feed them to Kagome whole. One every 6 hours, it said. He frowned, Kagome smelled pretty sick and he wasn't sure if he trusted her odd-looking medicines. He would have to definitely go out and find some medicinal plants in the morning. He silently hoped the storm would break by then and that the capsules would do their job.

"Open up, Kagome," he murmured as he tilted her head up with his left hand and cradled her chin with his right, he forced her jaw open with his thumb. Removing his hand from her chin, he retrieved a capsule and quickly jammed it into the back of her mouth with his forefinger. Not hard enough to choke or hurt her, but enough to make her reflexively swallow. He gently massaged her throat to encourage her and then checked her mouth to be certain that she had indeed swallowed the capsule before administering the second one in the same fashion. Satisfied, he laid her back down and carefully wrapped the sleeping bag around her again.

"What the hell am I going to do now?" he muttered.

Memories from his childhood passed through his mind. He remembered how his own mother had taken care of him when he was ill. She had pilled on one blanket after another when he had chills and had made him drink the foulest tasting tea. He grimaced in remembrance of the taste.

It was that nasty-tasting tea he wanted to give to Kagome now.

The least he could do was make certain she was warm, and the only way he could do that, he reasoned, was to get under the covers with her and share his body heat with her since he could not start a fire.

His decision made, he removed his own wet clothing as quickly as he could and pulled open the bag and slid in next to her. He felt the color rise in his cheeks at the awkwardness of the situation and decided that the best course of action would be to turn her so she would be on her side facing away from him. It was the only position he could think of where he could be close enough to her to warm her and that would make her the least angry.

"Kagome?" he whispered in her ear. "Kagome if you can hear me, say something..."

She continued to shiver, her teeth clattering together loudly in the relative silence of the cabin. He pulled the covers higher up around them and started to rub her arms. "It's okay, Kagome. Everything is going to be okay..."

He kept rubbing her arms and talking quietly to her until her shivering subsided. She was out of danger of freezing, but now he had a fever to contend with and a raging blizzard outside. He slowly began to feel her relax next to him, much to his relief. With that relief came the urge to sleep and he realized for the first time since he found the cabin how exhausted he was. Kagome was already sleeping peacefully next to him, her breathing deep and regular when he yawned and hugged her sleeping form to himself.

Sleep gently lulled him into unconsciousness and he submitted to it willingly without complaint.