*************
Punishment
***************
They walked for about 30 minutes before they reached there destination. It was a small, poor village on the edge of Inu-Yasha's forest.
It was a quiet night and only the crickets and stars seemed to be awake. Past a dip in the hill, they were currently standing on, was one lone hut standing out against the others.
"This will do." He muttered into the darkness; his two followers staring uncertainly up at him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^**^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is this a dream? Are you real?" Kagome whispered slowly; looking at him as if he could turn to dust and blow away in the chill wind at any moment.
Inu-Yasha pulled away to look her strait in the eyes and said. . . "I'm real, Kagome." He laid her back down on the bed and put a hand up to feel her face. The gesture was a win-win situation. You see, first he needed to feel for a temperature and second he just wanted to touch her face. Just to make sure that she was real, herself.
She was a little warm (but she'd had worse) and of course she was real. Inu- Yasha was so relieved that before removing his hand he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Leaving behind a very wide eye, doped up on medications, and not in the best of mental health's at the moment, Kagome.
"Everything is going to be okay now, Kagome, nothing else bad is going to happen to you for a long time."
Regaining back her mind she mumbled back, "Promise?"
Inu-Yasha smirked a little and nodded a 'yes'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^**^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While in the past, the dark night sky is being lit up by a fire that by the looks of it is not a pleasure fire. Screams and yelps for help could be heard from every where. The villagers could be seen running and scrambling into the forest trying to find cover in the thick foliage and under growth. While a small (and I mean very small) group of men tried to save the lasting remains of the town.
"Sango!? Sango!? Where are you!?" Miroku rushed into a burning hut that looked suspiciously like Keade's.
"Cough! Cough!"
"Sango is that you!?" He ran to the back of the hut and finally found her under on of the main support beams for the house. "Come on! We've got to get out of here; this entire place is going to cave in!" When she did not reply he placed his right arm under her shoulders and the other he put under her knees. Then he ran as fat as he could out of the hut and a few moments later the entire structure collapsed behind them.
"Miroku!! Did you find her?" Kaede came running up behind him with a frightened Shippo in her arms.
"Yeah, Yeah I've got her." He replied while turning around. "Do you know where Kirara is?"
"Aye. . . She is helping some of the villagers out of their houses and escorting them into the forest." And with a solemn look on her face she added, "What did this?"
"I don't know. . . But what ever did, let us hope it does not return before Inu-Yasha. . . And Lady Kagome." He answered before heading off into the forest with everyone else.
Not too soon after, rain began to pour out of the sky quenching the fires thirst. Turning the burnt houses into smoldering piles of ash and burnt wood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^**^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The pitter platter of rain could be heard, when it began to hit the window. Finally, it had started to rain and about five minutes of listening to the gentle and soothing sound of it. Thunder and lightning decided to make their appearances'.
Kagome had a death-grip on Inu-Yasha's hand and Inu-Yasha didn't mind one bit. Kagome knew that his presence meant that she was safe but, the sickening feeling that something was really wrong would not leave her.
Inu-Yasha could see the solemn look on Kagome's face. It seemed as if she were deep into thought and that something was bothering her. She had his hand in a death grip; that was beginning to become a little tight for even him.
"What's wrong Kagome?" He whispered to her his face now lying back on the bed in the same position it was into begin with.
"Huh?" She said breaking from her trance. "Oh. . . Nothing." She began to wave it off when he quickly replied.
"My hand says other wise." He smirked but, Kagome ignored him and began to look off into nothing-ness again; when he repeated. "What's wrong Kagome?" A worried look began to appear on his face when she finally let go of his hand.
"I-It's just. . . Well, I keep on having this feeling that. . . Something's just not quite right." She turned to look at him and found that he was staring at her with an unbroken, very intense gaze.
He began to lean forward and soon their lips met, in a soft chaste kiss. Reluctantly, Inu-Yasha pulled away and opened his eyes; as Kagome did the same.
"Didn't I tell you that everything is okay?" She was still a bit dazed by their kiss and didn't really hear him however; she nodded her head in agreement.
The rain had soon become a down pour. The ground was no longer solid but, a big mush of mud and diluted blood. Kaede had lead them all to a makeshift village that was set up. It was in Inu-Yasha's forest under the protection of the trees against the rain and consisted of a few messily tents and lean- to's. If one were to walk through it at the moment they would think it to be a war camp after an unsuccessful battle. And really. . . They wouldn't be to far off.
Sango had been laid out on the ground with Kirara by her side. Kaede was off helping the other wounded villagers with the help of Shippo. Miroku stood above Sango, his back against a tree, just staring out over everything. The demons that did this were long gone but the storm was getting worse and it seemed that it wouldn't stop for quite some time. Every so often Sango would mumble or shift and he'd jump over to her side in a flash.
To him it seemed like she was having a dream and not a good one at that. She was getting so restless that even Kirara was about to abandon her side to go somewhere where she would not get swished.
Finally Miroku gave up on Keade's words, "All she needs is rest. Let her be." and placed a hand on her shoulder and shaking her soft enough that it wouldn't hurt her but, firm enough that it would still wake her up.
Sango mumbled a little, and then began to open her eyes. May be that was a mistake Miroku's face was right in front of hers and she jumped accidentally brushing her lips against his cheek.
He smiled one of his lecherous grins that was promptly followed by a *crack* of hand meeting face. The sound echoed throughout the camp and everyone that could, stopped what they were doing and risked a glance at the 'couple'.
Needless to say Kaede was by there side only a second after the afore mentioned slap took place.
"What has happened my child?" She asked with alarm. She knew that the monk had done something to upset her but she had never slapped him as hard as she had done only a minute before.
"He. . ." She stammered pointing at Miroku all the while staring wide eyed at him.
By this time Kaede had waved everyone back to work. Ignoring the wide eyed Sango she turned to Miroku.
"Maybe I should explain what is going on to her. Thee should go help calm the villagers and secure the encampment."
"Hai. {yes}" He said softly and bowed before he turned, to leave; walking down across the camp.
"Now, what happened?" Kaede prodded once more.
"When. . . I awoke. . . He was. . . and then I jumped. . . and accidentally. . . kissed-him." Throughout the course of this one sentence about a million hand signs were used. If Kaede were not all ready sitting down, she would no doubt have fallen over in confusion.
Regaining her regal miko-like posture she smiled her all knowing smile and as she placed a hand on the ground, readying herself to stand again she asked, "And this is a 'bad' thing?"
Sango almost face faltered into the awaiting mud. "Nani!?! {What!?!}
With a chuckle Kaede promptly ignored her sudden outburst and began to explain all that had happened in the last six hours.
"It was late in the night. . ."
Miroku had just fallen asleep and the winds carried the sound of rustling leaves and some distant wild life; when all throughout the village a terrible sound erupted. A howling laughter followed by "This will teach him to cheat!" screeched at the top of 'his' lungs.
"I ran outside to see what the commotion was about thinking that it might have been another dunker rambling his non-sense. However it was not. . ." A solemn reflective look crossed her gaze as she continued. "The demon was swift and came down upon the village within the blink of an eye. He didn't go after the villagers them selves but, more the building standing in his way. I rushed inside to warn you. But I, alas, was only able to awaken the monk before he hit the shrine."
FLASHBACK
There was and earth shattering BOOM and a sickening crack as Kaede can be seen rushing into the hut to awaken the monk and demon slayer. She had managed to shake Miroku back to life just as the dry old house became ablaze. Kirara had been outside at the time and also scrambled to get Sango out of the way of falling pieces of roof.
"Kirara! Go help the others!" Kaede ordered grabbing Shippo and raced back out the door as fast as her old legs could take her. Kirara, though reluctantly, followed the command. Miroku followed suit however as soon as he stepped foot out the door something hit him, "Sango!" He gasped. "Sango!? Where are you!?"
He rushed back inside to find Sango lying motionless on the ground gasping and choking for breathe.
"And with you in his arms her rushed back outside. Meeting me on the way to the forest camp." Kaede looked around to find that Sango was no where in sight. "Child? Sango?" And then smiling once more, she went along with her other duties as a miko.
They walked for about 30 minutes before they reached there destination. It was a small, poor village on the edge of Inu-Yasha's forest.
It was a quiet night and only the crickets and stars seemed to be awake. Past a dip in the hill, they were currently standing on, was one lone hut standing out against the others.
"This will do." He muttered into the darkness; his two followers staring uncertainly up at him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^**^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is this a dream? Are you real?" Kagome whispered slowly; looking at him as if he could turn to dust and blow away in the chill wind at any moment.
Inu-Yasha pulled away to look her strait in the eyes and said. . . "I'm real, Kagome." He laid her back down on the bed and put a hand up to feel her face. The gesture was a win-win situation. You see, first he needed to feel for a temperature and second he just wanted to touch her face. Just to make sure that she was real, herself.
She was a little warm (but she'd had worse) and of course she was real. Inu- Yasha was so relieved that before removing his hand he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Leaving behind a very wide eye, doped up on medications, and not in the best of mental health's at the moment, Kagome.
"Everything is going to be okay now, Kagome, nothing else bad is going to happen to you for a long time."
Regaining back her mind she mumbled back, "Promise?"
Inu-Yasha smirked a little and nodded a 'yes'.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^**^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
While in the past, the dark night sky is being lit up by a fire that by the looks of it is not a pleasure fire. Screams and yelps for help could be heard from every where. The villagers could be seen running and scrambling into the forest trying to find cover in the thick foliage and under growth. While a small (and I mean very small) group of men tried to save the lasting remains of the town.
"Sango!? Sango!? Where are you!?" Miroku rushed into a burning hut that looked suspiciously like Keade's.
"Cough! Cough!"
"Sango is that you!?" He ran to the back of the hut and finally found her under on of the main support beams for the house. "Come on! We've got to get out of here; this entire place is going to cave in!" When she did not reply he placed his right arm under her shoulders and the other he put under her knees. Then he ran as fat as he could out of the hut and a few moments later the entire structure collapsed behind them.
"Miroku!! Did you find her?" Kaede came running up behind him with a frightened Shippo in her arms.
"Yeah, Yeah I've got her." He replied while turning around. "Do you know where Kirara is?"
"Aye. . . She is helping some of the villagers out of their houses and escorting them into the forest." And with a solemn look on her face she added, "What did this?"
"I don't know. . . But what ever did, let us hope it does not return before Inu-Yasha. . . And Lady Kagome." He answered before heading off into the forest with everyone else.
Not too soon after, rain began to pour out of the sky quenching the fires thirst. Turning the burnt houses into smoldering piles of ash and burnt wood.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^**^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The pitter platter of rain could be heard, when it began to hit the window. Finally, it had started to rain and about five minutes of listening to the gentle and soothing sound of it. Thunder and lightning decided to make their appearances'.
Kagome had a death-grip on Inu-Yasha's hand and Inu-Yasha didn't mind one bit. Kagome knew that his presence meant that she was safe but, the sickening feeling that something was really wrong would not leave her.
Inu-Yasha could see the solemn look on Kagome's face. It seemed as if she were deep into thought and that something was bothering her. She had his hand in a death grip; that was beginning to become a little tight for even him.
"What's wrong Kagome?" He whispered to her his face now lying back on the bed in the same position it was into begin with.
"Huh?" She said breaking from her trance. "Oh. . . Nothing." She began to wave it off when he quickly replied.
"My hand says other wise." He smirked but, Kagome ignored him and began to look off into nothing-ness again; when he repeated. "What's wrong Kagome?" A worried look began to appear on his face when she finally let go of his hand.
"I-It's just. . . Well, I keep on having this feeling that. . . Something's just not quite right." She turned to look at him and found that he was staring at her with an unbroken, very intense gaze.
He began to lean forward and soon their lips met, in a soft chaste kiss. Reluctantly, Inu-Yasha pulled away and opened his eyes; as Kagome did the same.
"Didn't I tell you that everything is okay?" She was still a bit dazed by their kiss and didn't really hear him however; she nodded her head in agreement.
The rain had soon become a down pour. The ground was no longer solid but, a big mush of mud and diluted blood. Kaede had lead them all to a makeshift village that was set up. It was in Inu-Yasha's forest under the protection of the trees against the rain and consisted of a few messily tents and lean- to's. If one were to walk through it at the moment they would think it to be a war camp after an unsuccessful battle. And really. . . They wouldn't be to far off.
Sango had been laid out on the ground with Kirara by her side. Kaede was off helping the other wounded villagers with the help of Shippo. Miroku stood above Sango, his back against a tree, just staring out over everything. The demons that did this were long gone but the storm was getting worse and it seemed that it wouldn't stop for quite some time. Every so often Sango would mumble or shift and he'd jump over to her side in a flash.
To him it seemed like she was having a dream and not a good one at that. She was getting so restless that even Kirara was about to abandon her side to go somewhere where she would not get swished.
Finally Miroku gave up on Keade's words, "All she needs is rest. Let her be." and placed a hand on her shoulder and shaking her soft enough that it wouldn't hurt her but, firm enough that it would still wake her up.
Sango mumbled a little, and then began to open her eyes. May be that was a mistake Miroku's face was right in front of hers and she jumped accidentally brushing her lips against his cheek.
He smiled one of his lecherous grins that was promptly followed by a *crack* of hand meeting face. The sound echoed throughout the camp and everyone that could, stopped what they were doing and risked a glance at the 'couple'.
Needless to say Kaede was by there side only a second after the afore mentioned slap took place.
"What has happened my child?" She asked with alarm. She knew that the monk had done something to upset her but she had never slapped him as hard as she had done only a minute before.
"He. . ." She stammered pointing at Miroku all the while staring wide eyed at him.
By this time Kaede had waved everyone back to work. Ignoring the wide eyed Sango she turned to Miroku.
"Maybe I should explain what is going on to her. Thee should go help calm the villagers and secure the encampment."
"Hai. {yes}" He said softly and bowed before he turned, to leave; walking down across the camp.
"Now, what happened?" Kaede prodded once more.
"When. . . I awoke. . . He was. . . and then I jumped. . . and accidentally. . . kissed-him." Throughout the course of this one sentence about a million hand signs were used. If Kaede were not all ready sitting down, she would no doubt have fallen over in confusion.
Regaining her regal miko-like posture she smiled her all knowing smile and as she placed a hand on the ground, readying herself to stand again she asked, "And this is a 'bad' thing?"
Sango almost face faltered into the awaiting mud. "Nani!?! {What!?!}
With a chuckle Kaede promptly ignored her sudden outburst and began to explain all that had happened in the last six hours.
"It was late in the night. . ."
Miroku had just fallen asleep and the winds carried the sound of rustling leaves and some distant wild life; when all throughout the village a terrible sound erupted. A howling laughter followed by "This will teach him to cheat!" screeched at the top of 'his' lungs.
"I ran outside to see what the commotion was about thinking that it might have been another dunker rambling his non-sense. However it was not. . ." A solemn reflective look crossed her gaze as she continued. "The demon was swift and came down upon the village within the blink of an eye. He didn't go after the villagers them selves but, more the building standing in his way. I rushed inside to warn you. But I, alas, was only able to awaken the monk before he hit the shrine."
FLASHBACK
There was and earth shattering BOOM and a sickening crack as Kaede can be seen rushing into the hut to awaken the monk and demon slayer. She had managed to shake Miroku back to life just as the dry old house became ablaze. Kirara had been outside at the time and also scrambled to get Sango out of the way of falling pieces of roof.
"Kirara! Go help the others!" Kaede ordered grabbing Shippo and raced back out the door as fast as her old legs could take her. Kirara, though reluctantly, followed the command. Miroku followed suit however as soon as he stepped foot out the door something hit him, "Sango!" He gasped. "Sango!? Where are you!?"
He rushed back inside to find Sango lying motionless on the ground gasping and choking for breathe.
"And with you in his arms her rushed back outside. Meeting me on the way to the forest camp." Kaede looked around to find that Sango was no where in sight. "Child? Sango?" And then smiling once more, she went along with her other duties as a miko.
