Chapter Nine . . .
He wasn't sure what he was doing, but Sesshomaru knew he had to go back to Marani. He had made her his own. He felt a bit awkward, but he found himself strangely attracted to her. He needed to go back.
Into the jungle-like woods he went, a million thoughts flying through his mind. What was he going to say to her? Especially since Naraku wasn't dead, he wasn't sure if he'd be staying with her. That demon had to die, for all that he had done . . .
Sesshomaru arrived at the cave which Marani lived. He looked at the waterfall spilling over into the little pond, and gave a big sigh, thinking of how to approach her and what to say. Finally, he slipped in past the water and rock, and stopped.
The place was a mess. The floor was cluttered with Marani's stuff, and blood seeped all over the floor. But, her body was nowhere in sight. Sesshomaru's eyes lay rest on a word that was written in blood on the cave wall:
NARAKU
"Naraku must still have some jewel shards," Kagome said, as the five companions strode along a path through the country side. "We heard his voice. He must still have at least a few to keep him a little bit alive. And in his weakened state . . ."
"We can definitely defeat him now," Inu Yasha said. "Finally, that demon is mine!"
Suddenly, Inu Yasha slapped his neck, hard.
"What's wrong with you?" Sango asked.
"And where have YOU been, Myoga?!" Inu Yasha cried, looking at the small flea in his hand.
"Following the whole time, of course," Myoga lied.
"I'm sure you were," Inu Yasha said.
"Look over there, Master Inu Yasha," Myoga said, quickly changing the subject. "Those are the Westlands, where the Dog Demons dwell. Perhaps you should try your search of the Shikon Jewels over there."
"And what makes you think there might be shards over there?" Kagome said, looking out over the plains, but not seeing anything.
"Yeah," Miroku said, "we've already discerned that Naraku must have the remaining pieces of the shikon jewel."
"Is there something you know that we don't, old man?!" Inu Yasha said.
"Perhaps," Myoga said. "I found myself heading towards the land where the Cat Demons dwell, and thought perhaps I'd find something there . . . I didn't think you two had thought of looking in there. And then . . . I came upon Naraku, who was looking rather badly. He had taken a human form, but it was a poor one indeed. He ransacked a young cat's home, in a cave behind a waterfall . . ."
"Marani!" Kagome cried. "Oh no!"
"Oh, so you know the young lass?" Myoga said. "I was wondering what he wanted with her."
"What did he do with her?" Inu Yasha demanded.
"I believe he has headed out to the Westlands with her. I think . . . he wants to get you there," Myoga said. "He knows your relationship with her, and wants to trap you into following."
"But how would he know that we would be going to the West lands in the first place?" Kagome asked. "It doesn't make sense."
"He wrote his name upon the wall of her home," Myoga explained. "He believes that you would be going back to her place. He left no other clue, though. Just wants you to try and look for her, I am guessing."
"That bastard!" Inu Yasha said. "Why does he go and drag her into this, huh? She didn't do nothing!"
"We have to go and save her," Kagome said, "before it's too late!"
"Then to the West lands it is," Inu Yasha said.
He wasn't sure what he was doing, but Sesshomaru knew he had to go back to Marani. He had made her his own. He felt a bit awkward, but he found himself strangely attracted to her. He needed to go back.
Into the jungle-like woods he went, a million thoughts flying through his mind. What was he going to say to her? Especially since Naraku wasn't dead, he wasn't sure if he'd be staying with her. That demon had to die, for all that he had done . . .
Sesshomaru arrived at the cave which Marani lived. He looked at the waterfall spilling over into the little pond, and gave a big sigh, thinking of how to approach her and what to say. Finally, he slipped in past the water and rock, and stopped.
The place was a mess. The floor was cluttered with Marani's stuff, and blood seeped all over the floor. But, her body was nowhere in sight. Sesshomaru's eyes lay rest on a word that was written in blood on the cave wall:
NARAKU
"Naraku must still have some jewel shards," Kagome said, as the five companions strode along a path through the country side. "We heard his voice. He must still have at least a few to keep him a little bit alive. And in his weakened state . . ."
"We can definitely defeat him now," Inu Yasha said. "Finally, that demon is mine!"
Suddenly, Inu Yasha slapped his neck, hard.
"What's wrong with you?" Sango asked.
"And where have YOU been, Myoga?!" Inu Yasha cried, looking at the small flea in his hand.
"Following the whole time, of course," Myoga lied.
"I'm sure you were," Inu Yasha said.
"Look over there, Master Inu Yasha," Myoga said, quickly changing the subject. "Those are the Westlands, where the Dog Demons dwell. Perhaps you should try your search of the Shikon Jewels over there."
"And what makes you think there might be shards over there?" Kagome said, looking out over the plains, but not seeing anything.
"Yeah," Miroku said, "we've already discerned that Naraku must have the remaining pieces of the shikon jewel."
"Is there something you know that we don't, old man?!" Inu Yasha said.
"Perhaps," Myoga said. "I found myself heading towards the land where the Cat Demons dwell, and thought perhaps I'd find something there . . . I didn't think you two had thought of looking in there. And then . . . I came upon Naraku, who was looking rather badly. He had taken a human form, but it was a poor one indeed. He ransacked a young cat's home, in a cave behind a waterfall . . ."
"Marani!" Kagome cried. "Oh no!"
"Oh, so you know the young lass?" Myoga said. "I was wondering what he wanted with her."
"What did he do with her?" Inu Yasha demanded.
"I believe he has headed out to the Westlands with her. I think . . . he wants to get you there," Myoga said. "He knows your relationship with her, and wants to trap you into following."
"But how would he know that we would be going to the West lands in the first place?" Kagome asked. "It doesn't make sense."
"He wrote his name upon the wall of her home," Myoga explained. "He believes that you would be going back to her place. He left no other clue, though. Just wants you to try and look for her, I am guessing."
"That bastard!" Inu Yasha said. "Why does he go and drag her into this, huh? She didn't do nothing!"
"We have to go and save her," Kagome said, "before it's too late!"
"Then to the West lands it is," Inu Yasha said.