~Chapter Two~ ~Poor young soul~
Inu-Yasha and Miroku trudged through the deep snow burying their feet, and through the deep, hard, icy wind that burned it was so cold!! Miroku carried the lantern as Inu-Yasha tried to sniff out Kagome's scent through all this wind!
"DO YOU SMELL ANYTHING, INU-YASHA!!??" Miroku called out to him after a few moments of silence. Inu-Yasha turned to him.
"WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE TO YOU!!?? A TRACKING DOG, COME TO SNIFF OUT THE MISSING WITH HIS LITTLE NOSE, AND LISTEN FOR DANGER WITH HIS ADORABLE DOGGY EARS!!?? DAMN YOU, MIROKU!! I GET SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU SAYING, "WELL, HAVE YOU GOT A SCENT YET, INU-YASHA?" OR "INU-YASHA!! DO YOU HEAR SOMETHING, BOY!!"" Snapped Inu-Yasha sarcastically.
Miroku glared. "INU-YASHA!! IT STUNS ME THAT YOU CAN BE FUNNY AT A TIME LIKE THIS!! DON'T YOU SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING KAGOME!!??" He exclaimed, not amused at all with Inu-Yasha's mockery.
"WELL, OF COURSE I DO, MIROKU!!! I WASN'T BEING FUNNY!! I WAS SPEAKING THE TRUTH!!" Inu-Yasha complained.
Miroku had had enough with this chat, and would have ended it right then and there, but knowing how close they were to finding Kagome was more important.
"INU-YASHA!! I'LL ASK ONE LAST TIME, DO YOU-"
"OH MY GOD!!!! I GOT HER SCENT!!! COME ON!!!!" Interrupted Inu-Yasha before Miroku could finish asking his question. He nodded all the same and ran after Inu-Yasha quickly.
The two men ran as fast as their legs could take them. Inu-Yasha stopped up ahead of Miroku, and Miroku nearly fell over his search companion!
"What is it?" He questioned.
Inu-Yasha didn't look to Miroku, but Miroku could see it in the way he scanned the white ground, searching, looking for any sign of her, which was Kagome.
"Inu-Yasha? How much do you care for Kagome?" He finally questioned.
Inu-Yasha turned to face his companion, in an expression that not even Miroku could explain!
"If you want a defining answer……I'll just say…….more then anything else. Ever!" He said. His voice was stiff, and serious. Miroku knew his friend wasn't just playing around this time. He nodded, and they continued their search.
Inu-Yasha was desperate now. He wanted so badly to scoop Kagome up into his arms like a child and hold her close, and not ever let go. He felt so awful for letting her down, but now was not a time to pout. He had to find her!! It was the only way he could live again!!
Suddenly, just up ahead of the two, something lay in the snow, covered by snow, but able to be seen from a distance. The shape was so familiar that Miroku almost proved it wrong!! But not Inu-Yasha he knew this figure.
"KAGOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He cried out, his voice sounding like it could start crying any second!! He charged and fell to his knees beside Kagome's still form. He picked her up and stared into her pale face. She did not wake.
"MIROKU!!! IS SHE……..dead?" He said the last word in a whisper. Miroku took her cold body into his hands now, and looked her over.
"No. She's still alive, but she's so cold!! We have to hurry and get her back to camp!!!!" Miroku exclaimed.
Inu-Yasha took off his top kimono and wrapped it around Kagome's freezing body, then pulled her up into his arms and held her tightly. Miroku turned back to him.
"Are you sure you should be going without your kimono top, Inu-Yasha? This is more then just cool weather, you know!" He explained
Inu-Yasha didn't look at the monk. "MIROKU!! HOW CAN YOU BE SUCH A SHIT HEAD!! KAGOME IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT THEN ME!!! I'D RATHER DIE THEN LET HER GO COLD!!!!"
Miroku stared at his friend's deep passion in his voice. So brave, and just for Kagome. He smiled. *I guess I know now how he feels towards Kagome!! I'll have to tell Sango about it later.* He thought as they continued to trudge through the snow with the frozen Kagome.
Inu-Yasha looked down at Kagome chilled face. So pale and lifeless. He hated to see her like this. *DAMN!!!! I HATE MYSELF!!! Kagome…..I let you down. I'll keep you warm though, until we reach camp!* He explained in his head. He placed Kagome's head up against his chest, and would not let her go. He couldn't!! He would never abandon her again.
Sango sat inside the tent, huddled up in blankets with Shippo in-between her legs, and Kirara as well. The three managed to stay warm, and create a small fire in the middle of the tent, but it was harder then hell because of the intense ice that sat around the tent's edges outside. "I hope Inu-Yasha and Miroku find Kagome soon! I could bare it if anything happened to her!!" Shippo stated aloud. Sango nodded.
"Yes. I think we're all hoping that Kagome will be found safely. I would have gone with the two and help, but someone needed to watch after you, so…." She paused as Shippo hugged her leg.
"Thank you, Sango. You're always thinking of others, aren't you." He explained in a sweet voice. Sango smiled.
Suddenly, Inu-Yasha's voice could be heard from outside. Sango stood up immediately, and rushed out to help them. When she saw the bundled up Kagome in Inu-Yasha's arms, all pale and motionless, she got the impression that she was dead!!
"OH MY GOD!!! HURRY!! GET HER INSIDE!! QUICKLY!!" She called.
Inu-Yasha and Miroku wasted no time in jumping into the tent and grabbing all the blankets up and around Kagome.
"Is she…..gone?" Sango questioned.
Miroku shook his head. "No. She's still with us, but she's gotten so cold, I'm just hoping she doesn't get ill!!" He explained.
Shippo jumped over and look at Kagome's weak face. "I hope she'll be alright." He stated as he began to cry, as young ones tend to do.
Miroku put a hand over Shippo's back. "It'll be alright. Kagome's strong. She'll make it, we just all have to huddle up around her for the rest of the night and keep her warm!" He explained.
So it was that Sango curled around Kagome with shippo on Kagome's left side, and Miroku lay on the other side of Sango. Inu-Yasha had offered to take the right side, the way Kagome's body was tuned, so her face as in his direction.
Throughout the rest of the night, Inu-Yasha stared deep into Kagome's still features. He placed his warm hand over her cheek, and it was more then cold, but she breathed in and out, so he knew she was still living. The shame of what had happened still tormented his soul, and he did not find slumber until the early hours of the morning, before the sun even decided to awaken.