Festering

The group now makes their way to their rooms. Kagome cleans and bandages InuYasha's wound as they all discuss their predicament.

"I say I take Tessaiga and take her out before she gets out of that cage cuz the old man doesn't know what he's doing.

"You think she's going to get out," Shippo says with worry in his voice.

"Yeah," Sango answers, "She's only getting stronger, those seals won't make much of a difference after a while." She continues morbidly.

"What are we supposed to do?" Kagome looks defeated.

"Like InuYasha said, she needs to be killed before she can escape. That's the only chance we have." Sango explains.

InuYasha nods his head in agreement. "Yup, so I'll hit her with the windscare and will be done with it," His head held high with confidence.

"Or… we could try to reason with her?" Miroku suggested.

The rest of the group looks at him confused.

"Are you crazy? You want to "reason with" the woman who tried to gut you like a fish." InuYasha says.

"Yes but she did let me go. I think maybe we can get through to her." Miroku explains

"That actually doesn't sound too bad." Kagome says,

"What?!" InuYasha exclaims in disbelief.

Kagome nods "It's not like she's completely heartless, she is clearly in love with Yoichi. It's a least worth trying," She explains

"Well I for one don't want to get in arms reach of her," InuYasha says, reaching for the bandage on his neck. Starting to itch at the round it.

"Don't pick at it." Kagome says and goes over to him to move his hands away. Then removes the band.

"Oh…" Kagome says, "It's infected…I think,"

She goes get her first aid kit and cleans the wound. InuYasha cusd as Kagome applied the disinfectant. She took a mirror to show him the damage.

"What the hell?" InuYasha said in disbelief.

Where Katsumi's nails had dug into his skin was black. Four black stops that threatened to spread.

"Well let's go and see if this plan of yours works, if not I'll take her out with the wind scar," InuYasha says scratching at his neck.

The group makes their way to the door, swiftly avoiding any attention. When they enter they find Katsumi gazing up at the sky through the bars. "Well…Hello," Katsumi says smiling at InuYasha. He gives her a scowl in response.

"Lady Katsumi," Miroku starts, "We have a proposition for you. If we return your staff and let you free and you leave here without harming anyone," Miroku explains. Katsumi lets out a chuckle, and with a smile that fades quickly. "No," she says shortly.

Suddenly InuYasha falls to his knees, holding back screams of pain with a clenched jaw and holds his neck. Kagome runs to his side trying to examine the source of the pain. When she gets him to remove his hand, she is taken aback. The bizarre infection is festering and spreading like small black vines creeping up his neck and side of his face.

"Now monk…my proposition to you. Get me my staff or… I'll have your friend slutter every man, woman and child in this village and if you think his demon form is scary… my dear I can turn him into something much darker," She grinning wildly.

Miroku hesitates but then nods and runs out the door and Sango follows after. Shortly after Inuyasha passes out from the pain his head falls into Kagome's chest. "InuYasha!," she cries out. She looks up to Katsumi, "Please stop this, hurting him isn't going to bring Yoichi back" Katsumi gives her a cold look and turns her back to them, leaving Kagome crying, holding the unconscious half demon.

Author's note: Reviews are welcome! I'm mostly posting as soon as I feel like I've reached a stopping point. So some input for the story is very much welcome. Also some feedback on chapter length would be nice as well. I might keep the chapters shorter than the last story I did but I'm still not sure.