::is leaning against a large sign that reads, 'Inu Yasha and Co. do NOT belong to me:: Okay everybody! Here's the second chapter. I'm going to try and put up a new one ever two or three days (one a week minimum). At the moment I'm writing the rest of this story and it's taking a while because I'm juggling school (Ah! Biology, math and history- oh my!), and simply due to the sheer complexity of the story. That's the main reason- I have to constantly flip back and forth between parts to make sure everything matches up! An early warning, aside from language, War on the horizon is pretty tame but all the gloves come off on its follower. Because everything that happens adds more to the story- and usually shows up later- all of it is important to varying degrees; there is no kid version and, like I said, out of all of them, WotH is the tamest (and its rated R!). Now that I'm done scaring you all, lets continue.
Divided We Fall Part 2: Two dogs, one hanyou, a few strange scents, and a partridge in a part tree.
What the hell? I looked around surprised to find myself here again. Since the night it happened, I hadn't dreamt about it again. That isn't to say I hadn't thought about it- or what I could remember- during my waking hours. So it took me by surprise to watch Inu Yasha and me 'getting it on' on my bed again. I scratched my head as I watched them- us- enjoy each other. I looked to my right and saw Inu Yasha- another one- watching from his perch outside my window. He didn't acknowledge me at all, just watched the pair of us on the bed. There was something on his face, a wanting look that was almost heart breaking. I blinked again and tried to look at the scene objectively.
Both of us were here watching the same scene. I was inside the room and felt only a faint stirring of the desire I had felt then. Inu Yasha however was outside the room, looking as if he wanted to bust through the glass and replace the lust driven hanyou on the bed. Something was preventing the Inu Yasha outside from indulging in the fantasy and I knew it had to be more than the flimsy glass window he looked through. I frowned and walked over to the window, blocking the view of the couple on the bed. Inu Yasha blinked and started, looking at me in surprise as if I had appeared out of thin air.
"If you want to join in so badly, why don't you just open the window?" I asked.
I heard the two behind me scream each other's name and the Inu Yasha on the branch refocused on the noise. I sighed and opened the window, peeking out and looking him in the eyes. "Now it's open. No more excuses." I stepped back and waited for the timid hanyou to react.
"You aren't afraid?" he asked at length. He looked at me anxiously, begging an answer I didn't understand.
"Afraid of what?" And I reached a hand toward him, offering to help him climb inside.
"Of me." He reached out tentatively to take my hand, eyes on my face for any indication of apprehension. I didn't know what to say to that so I just waited to take his hand and pull him inside.
"Kagome! Wake up!" The voice speared through the dream, puncturing it like a balloon. I could practically hear the remains whizzing around as the dream deflated and I woke up. I rubbed at my eyes, chasing the sleep away. I groaned- I felt as if I hadn't slept at all. Damn.
"Shippo, why are you so perky?" I yawned and stumbled over my bag for clothing and morning supplies. I forgot my dream as I got dressed and ready for the days hike.
"You and Inu Yasha both!' Shippo said as he hung onto my shoulder while I finished brushing my teeth. I muttered a 'hm?' and spit. "You're both so hard to wake up lately! Ever since-" He was silenced by my finger to his lips. I turned my head to look at him while I wiped my mouth on a towel I'd brought. "Sorry." Shippo said, looking guilty.
"That's ok." I said and withdrew my hand. "Talking about it to me is not a problem, however if you start bringing it up so casually like you just did, you'll do it with Inu Yasha." I still had to tell them all about Taomaru but with no evidence or co-obberation I was afraid they might begin to think I was nuts.
"That would be bad." The kitsune said grimly as he no doubt remembered nearly being bludgeoned with a boulder. I nodded and went to find the others.
We hiked all day and found nothing. Again. With moral extremely low and the weather getting colder as winter tapped its icy fingers on the world, we all began the long walk home. During the entire trip, Inu Yasha did not talk to me. When we made it to the well I bid everyone good by and jumped in with out hesitation, sitting Inu Yasha when he decided that I couldn't leave. I crawled out of the well into my time, glad to be back home and looking forward to a well deserved bath.
"I'm home!" I yelled as I left the well house. I heard barking and a yell and then found myself falling through the air.
The Warring States.
It did not go unnoticed by any of the remaining group that Inu Yasha's behavior changed while Kagome was away. The hanyou was irritable to the point that he snarled if you even approached his tree. He would not come down, would not be civil with anyone when they tried to talk to him. Even Myoga did not go unscathed- the squashed little flea was found by Shippo at the base of the tree on the second day of Kagome's absence.
It did no good to ask Inu Yasha what was wrong with him; the hanyou didn't know. Only a small portion of his brain registered that his behavior had changed at all, that he had become more irritable and violent. Inu Yasha couldn't sleep, barely ate, and couldn't concentrate on anything while Kagome was gone. All his thoughts revolved around the missing girl, more often straying to the dream he had had a few days ago, before they had returned.
Now, Inu Yasha was a rather long stone's throw from knowing much about psychology- he had a better chance of graduating from a Home Economics class as the best chef. He didn't know much about dreaming and when he had bothered to ask Myoga about it, the smaller demon had replied that other people appear in your dreams because they sneak into them. The flea had then told him that some dreams can seem so real they can slip over into the waking world. Thoroughly disgusted with the useless information, Inu Yasha had squashed Myoga and flicked him away. What garbage. What nonsense. Still, what Myoga had said about dreams nagged at Inu Yasha, the words refusing to leave him alone. So until Kagome returned, the hanyou stewed in his thoughts and reviewing his dream, thinking heavily about Kagome until he wanted to scream with frustration- the only one he could possibly get some help from was Kagome and this was one thing he would not talk to her about. Before the sun rose on the fifth day, Inu Yasha had reached his limit and couldn't take it anymore. He sped to the well, leaping inside it before anyone could stop him.
The hanyou strode purposely out of the well house towards the two story house Kagome lived in. As he walked he caught two new scents. One was delectable and slightly familiar; enticing and teasing his nose, making him salivate slightly in anticipation of finding the source. The other was completely new and musky; the scent of a large animal that had been running around for the past week. It made Inu Yasha growl and want to wipe the scent away and replace it with his own. He leapt up onto the branch that hung outside Kagome's window easily. He had every intention of climbing through the window and demanding what was going on when his sensitive nose caught that wonderful scent again.
He eased open the window, sniffing delicately and swallowing. He had to find Kagome and find out where that smell was coming from or he'd be unable to think. His thoughts were cut short by a sudden volley of barking, loud sharp sounds that were like ice picks stabbing through his eardrums. What the hell is that? Inu Yasha thought, putting his hands over his ears. With the glass gone, he could smell a third unfamiliar scent that only made him more anxious to find the source. Something thumped against Kagome's bedroom door, scratching and whining to get in.
A…dog? Inu Yasha blinked and crawled through the window. He couldn't hear anything except barking, the sound being echoed downstairs. Two dogs? Why did Kagome suddenly have two dogs? He inhaled again and felt his thought process slow. He breathed deeply, long slow breath that made a sappy smile appear on his face. The dog mystery suddenly wasn't so important; in fact, Inu Yasha felt pretty good as he sat on Kagome's bed. He wanted to lie down and snuggle up to someone warm, to kiss and cuddle his mate… Unbidden, his thoughts turned toward Kagome. He spied a pile of clothes on the floor and picked up a shirt, sniffing it and holding the cloth close. It smelled like Kagome, like her gentle scent, but it also was one of the sources of the strange scents that were making his blood heat and his mind relax and also bothering him.
He heard the barking quiet and someone's soothing voice talking to the strange dogs. He heard all three come into the room and a giant bundle of white leapt on the bed and began sniffing at him. Inu Yasha watched Kagome start in surprise when she saw him. She grabbed hold of the collar of the dog beside her, holding it beside her and not letting it jump onto the bed also. Both dogs were large, stopping a hairs breath from Kagome's waist. Both were white and heavily muscled. Unconcerned, Inu Yasha merely smiled a dopey smile, and held out a hand to her.
I was dressed in my uniform and ready for school. When the dogs started barking I knew immediately who had shown up. It was irritating; I mean, he knew I'd be back when I was done so why was he here now? Maybe he was here to apologize? Nah. I shook my head as I quieted Duchess beside me and climbed the stairs. That would be hoping for too much from Inu Yasha. I met Socrates at the door to my bedroom, wincing when I saw the damage he had caused to the wood. I stroked their big heads and soothed them, opening my door to see what was making them bark.
Predictably, there was Inu Yasha. He lay on my bed, sniffing the shirt I had taken off yesterday and been too lazy to put in the hamper. When he saw me he smiled, his grin askew and his eyes dark gold. What the hell? Socrates got by me and jumped onto the bed, sniffing Inu Yasha from head to toe. I took hold of Duchess before she could follow suit. When Inu Yasha held out his hand to me, to join him on the bed, I didn't know what to do.
After a minute, the hanyou got up and walked toward me. He still held my shirt, letting it dangle from one hand as he left the bed. "Kagome…" The way he said my name made me blink and a shiver run up my spine. I frowned when he stood before me, looking down at me with that dopey smile. Duchess growled beside me and I stroked her head until she calmed. She sniffed at the hanyou and I released her, letting the dog continue her investigation of Inu Yasha.
Meanwhile, I put a hand to Inu Yasha's forehead, checking for a fever. "What's wrong with you?" I asked and took the shirt from him, throwing it back on the floor. He caught my hand by the wrist, bringing the palm to his nose. He sniffed at me delicately, his eyes glazing slightly, and then pulled me against him. He nuzzled my neck, sniffing at my skin. I felt gooseflesh rise along his path and my heart fluttered. I pulled my hand away and stepped away from him. "I don't know what your problem is Inu Yasha but I'm late. I'll be back this afternoon so you can stop acting so weird." His ears drooped and I had to resist petting them. He blinked, his eyes refocusing, and licked his lips. I left my room before the morning got any stranger and the dogs padded after me.
I locked the dogs inside the temporary enclosure Mom and Sota had created while I had been away and piled in the dog toys. I checked the water and food dishes, petted the great canines one last time and set off for school. Large soulful eyes followed me and I wished they wouldn't look at me like I was abandoning them- it made me feel guilty. Before I left I caught Inu Yasha leaving my room via the window and looking a little bewildered. Whatever; I didn't have time for his bizarre jokes. I had an English exam today and was really not looking forward to it. I jogged down the Shrine steps and sped off for school.