Long Gone and Forbidden
By: Dragon Lady
Chapter Seven
"Okay, Let's see how your arm's doing, Miroku." Shaddow looked up as Sango and one of the healers came in. A shiver ran up her spine as the blond woman neared.
//A weak, but well trained priestess. I need a snack.// The demoness glanced at the sack sitting not too far away. She argued with herself on whether or not she should get one of the hearts she'd taken in battle or one of the lungs. //Decisions, decisions. I have fewer lungs. so I guess I'll get one of the hearts.//
She stuck out her foot, too lazy to stand and get it. Trapping the excess rope under her boot, the dark red haired demon dragged it over within reaching range before grabbing the bag and digging through her assortment of body parts for her decided snack.
Her face lit up, fangs barely showing, as she smelled one of the more aged ones near the bottom. //Perfect.// She thought and with drew the bundled up heart. //Just like a soul. The long it has to ripen, the better.//
A rotting stench filled the room as Shaddow unwrapped the organ. Miroku and Sango didn't seem to mind the smell, but the healer did. The young woman turned a lovely shade of puke green before rushing out the door.
The monk shook his head, and the exterminator glanced at the demoness before following the girl out. Shaddow was too content to have found such a treasure to notice any looks or the retching sounds coming from outside.
"You have to scare them off, don't you?" Miroku asked, sitting up straight. He was wearing only a pair of pants and the guard over his Wind Tunnel.
The demoness nodded and took another bite of her snack. She chewed it somewhat before saying, "Mikos, priestesses, holy women, whatever you want to call them, bother me. I'd prefer," She swallowed and continued. "To scare them off, then one of them coming within arm's length."
"Would you mind eating somewhere else, then?" The woman shrugged, stood, and walked out. She grinned at the blond healer, revealing her bloody fangs, as she passed the girl and Sango.
"I'll be out for a while. I still have business to take care of so don't wait up. And tell Nathifa I'll be taking her to Ebon in a week to get the jewel shard out."
"Shaddow. Shouldn't we just leave it where it is?" Sango asked as the priestess had gone back inside the hut. The demoness looked back at her with an indefinable look in her dark red eyes.
"It's a threat to her life." The dark red haired woman growled. Sango nodded, understanding the strong motherly feelings Shaddow held for the girl.
"I'll tell her."
"OW!" Both women turned to look at the hut behind them. The young priestess who had been tending to all of the monk's wounds strode out, arms crossed.
"Miroku!" Sango yelled walking back into the hut. Shaddow turned and left, laughing at the scorning the man was getting.
A few miles from the guarded city stood a man, dressed in a white baboon skin. He stood still as a stone statue as Shaddow walked up to him, calm and utterly unaware. She looked at the unfinished parts of her snack, cleaning her teeth with her tongue. She shrugged and tossed it over her shoulder.
"When will I get the rest of the jewel?" The man asked, his voice somewhat gruff, clearly displeased. The demoness jumped back, bringing her weapons out in a ready position.
"Naraku!" She nearly screeched as she recognized him. She quickly sheathed her weapons and lowered her head in a brisk nod. She looked at the hollowed out holes that were the eyeholes, and sighed slightly. "I will be taking the girl to Ebon's at the end of the week. And I will make sure no one tags along this time."
Naraku snorted and laughed, sending waves of chills rolling up the woman's spine. "Inuyasha will not let you go without him." Shaddow turned her head to some extent. She knew she was wrong to think the half-breed would let the girl go without his presence. "I have a better idea. Kykiou."
A priestess stepped out of the shadows from the surrounding forest. She was wearing what she always had, a white, long sleeved shirt with loose red pants and sandals. She held a bow in one hand, and a quiver of arrows was strung across her back.
"Let Inuyasha and anyone else who wants to come along. Take them through the demon forest, across the Great Chasm, and through the plains to Ebon's. Do not go around. I want them worn out. After that, your only job is to get the girl away from the rest of them."
Shaddow looked at the woman with a glare. A priestess. He trusted a priestess that had once been the lover of Inuyasha more than her. It made her mad, envious, utterly disgusted. Although she had met Naraku after he had joined with the priestess, it still made her sick. But if enduring her meant getting Shade back, then the demoness could endure. for now.
Naraku started to leave, Kykiou following solemnly. "What about the reincarnate?" Shaddow asked. The question made both stop. An arrow flew past the demoness' ear. The woman barely flinched, even though she hadn't even seen the priestess move.
//So the priestess can't live without the help of a shard. Not since that girl has most of her soul. Hm. at least I won't die from lack of life support.// Shaddow sneered slightly. Now that she really paid attention to her senses, there was a certain dead air about the priestess. //Must've just been revived.//
The woman's flesh smelled of dirt, worms, and decay. She was obviously just dug up. The blood in her veins was dilute and had settled in the pathways in the entire body. The priestess was almost completely Naraku's.
"If she comes, then it will make my accomplice whole once again, and she will help me complete the Shikon no Tama. In fact, if you bring both along, I will make sure neither you nor Shade will be susceptible to death."
A smile flickered through Shaddow's face as the woman bowed her head. "I will bring anyone you wish me to, Naraku."
"Good." The demoness looked up, not surprised when both priestess and demon lord were gone, no trace of their recent presence.
//Perfect.//
"We've built and protected this city. Accepting anyone who can prove his or her vow to help us defeat Naraku. We were hoping, Kagome, that you would come back to help us get Inuyasha and Nathifa off the tree." Miroku finished.
"Now, with the Tetsusaiga and the last jewel shard in our possession, we have a chance of beating Naraku. We could attack him. Shaddow?"
The demoness looked up at her name. She smiled slightly. "It didn't take as long as I thought. Filling them in on the past few hundred years?"
"Yeah." Sango replied. "I told Nathifa."
"Do we have to go to Ebon? Can't someone here take it out?" The dark haired girl sitting next to Inuyasha asked. The half demon's ear twitched in her direction, but his eyes remained closed. He looked as if he was sleeping, but Shaddow could tell he was full aware of everything going on around him.
The demoness sighed and sat down on a pile of blankets. "Ye-eeeesss!" The blankets beneath her moved and groaned. She fell off and looked behind her. Under the covers were Colin and the girl Kagome. "Oh. you two. Sorry."
"You'd better be!" The kitsune replied, fur ruffled and face skewed in anger. Kagome sat up and arranged her clothes and hair.
"Well. That was rude." The girl said, glaring at Shaddow. Nathifa giggled. All three people looked at her. She stopped and half hid behind Inuyasha, who smirked as he felt her grab his kimono.
"Shaddow's like that. She sits down where it looks comfortable." The gray- eyed girl said quietly. Kagome glared at Shaddow and crossed her arms.
"I guess. Just ask before you sit down on someone again." The demoness was about to make a smart mouthed comment when her young charge clasped a hand over the woman's mouth.
Shaddow whirled and nearly fainted when she saw how the half angel was reaching her. The girl's hand was on Inuyasha's upper thigh, and her body was leaning up against his. The half demon opened his eyes and smiled. He dipped his head opening his mouth. The half demon bit the girl.
"Ow! You halfwit!" Nathifa sat up on her knees, rubbing her shoulder. He just grinned at her. She frowned at him for a few minutes, and then she remembered something. "Should we tell them?"
"Now?" Inuyasha asked. She nodded.
"Tell us what?" Miroku asked. The white haired demon sighed and nodded.
"I'll tell." He offered. Nathifa sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around his and snuggling into him. "Nathifa and I are. let's say she's my woman now." Inuyasha said softly, reaching to brush his fingers against the girl's cheek.
Jaws dropped and just about everyone's eyes were popping out of their heads. All except Kagome who seemed more angered by this than anything.
"Got a problem, Kagome?" Inuyasha growled, looking in her direction.
"Yeah. I don't see how you can sleep with someone you haven't known very long." Kagome countered. The half demon growled again putting a hand on his sword. "Sit!!"
Inuyasha went flat on his face only to be yanked up by the hair. Shaddow, fist full of silver locks, pulled his head back. "What the freaking hell did you do!?!?!" The demoness shrieked.
The half-breed managed to get his hair free from the demoness' grip. He shoved her back, and glanced around. Just about everyone else was just recovering from his or her shock. He straightened himself up and sat back as he had. Nathifa climbed into his lap, and he protectively put his arms around her.
"We're mates." The dark haired girl stated simply, nuzzling the white haired demon's neck, perfectly happy. Kagome felt sick. /She/ was her replacement?! A sissy little girl who acted like a helpless moron. Yes, Kagome was jealous. Yes, she wanted to undo everything and go back to the way things were. She still wanted Inuyasha as much as she had over a year ago.
"You! Girl!" Shaddow pointed at Kagome, looking very red faced and flustered, panic hidden by anger. "Kagome. You can see the shard, can't you? Which one has it?!"
"Why should I tell you? Why should I tell anyone? It doesn't matter. It's in your possession, isn't it?" Kagome started to leave. The demoness grabbed her skirt and pulled her back down, the girl landing with a hard thud.
"You're not leaving until you tell me." Shaddow stated simply, seemingly regaining her calm. Kagome frowned and tried to get up again. She was just pushed back down. Inuyasha was hiding his laughter while his 'mate' was looking at her.
Kagome looked at the two sensing the shard in one of them, but it was hard to tell which one had it. She focused harder. A faint glow appeared around Nathifa, her gray eyes staring directly into Kagome's.
"Her. Nat." Inuyasha's chuckling immediately stopped and his arms became tighter around the girl in his lap. He growled.
"Nathifa to you, bitch." He snarled. Shaddow sighed, sounding very relieved. She waved her hand to dismiss Kagome, who stood and walked out. "What's the matter, Shaddow? You seemed worried for a minute, there." Nathifa asked. Miroku shook his head in disbelief.
"What's your problem, monk?" Inuyasha asked indifferently.
"Never thought you, of all people, Inuyasha, would get to. uh. get a mate before me." Miroku replied. "Guess we should have figured it out sooner."
"The way you were acting around her. well, it seemed like you were overprotective." Sango sighed shaking her head while staring at the two cuddling. "Inuyasha. Nathifa. who would've guessed. And here we thought you were just trying to replaced Kagome."
"I was. at first. but she, like Kagome and Kykiou, showed me how different they were from each other. I'm glad I finally found someone who wouldn't leave me for anything."
"You still have your life in front of you, Inuyasha. There's still a chance." The monk stated. "And besides, one of you has to die before the other."
"Well, Nat ain't dyin' before me, that's for sure." Inuyasha stated gruffly.
"No, I'll die at the same time. That way neither of us has grief to bear." Nathifa said softly. Inuyasha gently stroked her head, kissing the top of it.
"If that's all we're going to talk about tonight, then I'm getting her to bed." The half demon stood, cradling the half angel in his arms.
"Don't you mean 'bed her', not 'put her to bed'." Miroku had barely gotten the sentence out before Sango had smacked him in the back of the head, and Inuyasha had stomped his face into the floor.
"Get your head out of your pants, Miroku." Sango said disgustedly as she stood to leave. "I suggest we all get to bed. We'll discuss more in the morning." With that, she left, the half-demons and demon following. Miroku rubbed the back of his head.
"What's a 'mate'?" Colin asked. The monk was surprised he was still there; he had been so quite no one had even remembered his presence. "Well. What's a 'mate'?"
Miroku rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'll explain in the morning."
By: Dragon Lady
Chapter Seven
"Okay, Let's see how your arm's doing, Miroku." Shaddow looked up as Sango and one of the healers came in. A shiver ran up her spine as the blond woman neared.
//A weak, but well trained priestess. I need a snack.// The demoness glanced at the sack sitting not too far away. She argued with herself on whether or not she should get one of the hearts she'd taken in battle or one of the lungs. //Decisions, decisions. I have fewer lungs. so I guess I'll get one of the hearts.//
She stuck out her foot, too lazy to stand and get it. Trapping the excess rope under her boot, the dark red haired demon dragged it over within reaching range before grabbing the bag and digging through her assortment of body parts for her decided snack.
Her face lit up, fangs barely showing, as she smelled one of the more aged ones near the bottom. //Perfect.// She thought and with drew the bundled up heart. //Just like a soul. The long it has to ripen, the better.//
A rotting stench filled the room as Shaddow unwrapped the organ. Miroku and Sango didn't seem to mind the smell, but the healer did. The young woman turned a lovely shade of puke green before rushing out the door.
The monk shook his head, and the exterminator glanced at the demoness before following the girl out. Shaddow was too content to have found such a treasure to notice any looks or the retching sounds coming from outside.
"You have to scare them off, don't you?" Miroku asked, sitting up straight. He was wearing only a pair of pants and the guard over his Wind Tunnel.
The demoness nodded and took another bite of her snack. She chewed it somewhat before saying, "Mikos, priestesses, holy women, whatever you want to call them, bother me. I'd prefer," She swallowed and continued. "To scare them off, then one of them coming within arm's length."
"Would you mind eating somewhere else, then?" The woman shrugged, stood, and walked out. She grinned at the blond healer, revealing her bloody fangs, as she passed the girl and Sango.
"I'll be out for a while. I still have business to take care of so don't wait up. And tell Nathifa I'll be taking her to Ebon in a week to get the jewel shard out."
"Shaddow. Shouldn't we just leave it where it is?" Sango asked as the priestess had gone back inside the hut. The demoness looked back at her with an indefinable look in her dark red eyes.
"It's a threat to her life." The dark red haired woman growled. Sango nodded, understanding the strong motherly feelings Shaddow held for the girl.
"I'll tell her."
"OW!" Both women turned to look at the hut behind them. The young priestess who had been tending to all of the monk's wounds strode out, arms crossed.
"Miroku!" Sango yelled walking back into the hut. Shaddow turned and left, laughing at the scorning the man was getting.
A few miles from the guarded city stood a man, dressed in a white baboon skin. He stood still as a stone statue as Shaddow walked up to him, calm and utterly unaware. She looked at the unfinished parts of her snack, cleaning her teeth with her tongue. She shrugged and tossed it over her shoulder.
"When will I get the rest of the jewel?" The man asked, his voice somewhat gruff, clearly displeased. The demoness jumped back, bringing her weapons out in a ready position.
"Naraku!" She nearly screeched as she recognized him. She quickly sheathed her weapons and lowered her head in a brisk nod. She looked at the hollowed out holes that were the eyeholes, and sighed slightly. "I will be taking the girl to Ebon's at the end of the week. And I will make sure no one tags along this time."
Naraku snorted and laughed, sending waves of chills rolling up the woman's spine. "Inuyasha will not let you go without him." Shaddow turned her head to some extent. She knew she was wrong to think the half-breed would let the girl go without his presence. "I have a better idea. Kykiou."
A priestess stepped out of the shadows from the surrounding forest. She was wearing what she always had, a white, long sleeved shirt with loose red pants and sandals. She held a bow in one hand, and a quiver of arrows was strung across her back.
"Let Inuyasha and anyone else who wants to come along. Take them through the demon forest, across the Great Chasm, and through the plains to Ebon's. Do not go around. I want them worn out. After that, your only job is to get the girl away from the rest of them."
Shaddow looked at the woman with a glare. A priestess. He trusted a priestess that had once been the lover of Inuyasha more than her. It made her mad, envious, utterly disgusted. Although she had met Naraku after he had joined with the priestess, it still made her sick. But if enduring her meant getting Shade back, then the demoness could endure. for now.
Naraku started to leave, Kykiou following solemnly. "What about the reincarnate?" Shaddow asked. The question made both stop. An arrow flew past the demoness' ear. The woman barely flinched, even though she hadn't even seen the priestess move.
//So the priestess can't live without the help of a shard. Not since that girl has most of her soul. Hm. at least I won't die from lack of life support.// Shaddow sneered slightly. Now that she really paid attention to her senses, there was a certain dead air about the priestess. //Must've just been revived.//
The woman's flesh smelled of dirt, worms, and decay. She was obviously just dug up. The blood in her veins was dilute and had settled in the pathways in the entire body. The priestess was almost completely Naraku's.
"If she comes, then it will make my accomplice whole once again, and she will help me complete the Shikon no Tama. In fact, if you bring both along, I will make sure neither you nor Shade will be susceptible to death."
A smile flickered through Shaddow's face as the woman bowed her head. "I will bring anyone you wish me to, Naraku."
"Good." The demoness looked up, not surprised when both priestess and demon lord were gone, no trace of their recent presence.
//Perfect.//
"We've built and protected this city. Accepting anyone who can prove his or her vow to help us defeat Naraku. We were hoping, Kagome, that you would come back to help us get Inuyasha and Nathifa off the tree." Miroku finished.
"Now, with the Tetsusaiga and the last jewel shard in our possession, we have a chance of beating Naraku. We could attack him. Shaddow?"
The demoness looked up at her name. She smiled slightly. "It didn't take as long as I thought. Filling them in on the past few hundred years?"
"Yeah." Sango replied. "I told Nathifa."
"Do we have to go to Ebon? Can't someone here take it out?" The dark haired girl sitting next to Inuyasha asked. The half demon's ear twitched in her direction, but his eyes remained closed. He looked as if he was sleeping, but Shaddow could tell he was full aware of everything going on around him.
The demoness sighed and sat down on a pile of blankets. "Ye-eeeesss!" The blankets beneath her moved and groaned. She fell off and looked behind her. Under the covers were Colin and the girl Kagome. "Oh. you two. Sorry."
"You'd better be!" The kitsune replied, fur ruffled and face skewed in anger. Kagome sat up and arranged her clothes and hair.
"Well. That was rude." The girl said, glaring at Shaddow. Nathifa giggled. All three people looked at her. She stopped and half hid behind Inuyasha, who smirked as he felt her grab his kimono.
"Shaddow's like that. She sits down where it looks comfortable." The gray- eyed girl said quietly. Kagome glared at Shaddow and crossed her arms.
"I guess. Just ask before you sit down on someone again." The demoness was about to make a smart mouthed comment when her young charge clasped a hand over the woman's mouth.
Shaddow whirled and nearly fainted when she saw how the half angel was reaching her. The girl's hand was on Inuyasha's upper thigh, and her body was leaning up against his. The half demon opened his eyes and smiled. He dipped his head opening his mouth. The half demon bit the girl.
"Ow! You halfwit!" Nathifa sat up on her knees, rubbing her shoulder. He just grinned at her. She frowned at him for a few minutes, and then she remembered something. "Should we tell them?"
"Now?" Inuyasha asked. She nodded.
"Tell us what?" Miroku asked. The white haired demon sighed and nodded.
"I'll tell." He offered. Nathifa sat down next to him, wrapping her arms around his and snuggling into him. "Nathifa and I are. let's say she's my woman now." Inuyasha said softly, reaching to brush his fingers against the girl's cheek.
Jaws dropped and just about everyone's eyes were popping out of their heads. All except Kagome who seemed more angered by this than anything.
"Got a problem, Kagome?" Inuyasha growled, looking in her direction.
"Yeah. I don't see how you can sleep with someone you haven't known very long." Kagome countered. The half demon growled again putting a hand on his sword. "Sit!!"
Inuyasha went flat on his face only to be yanked up by the hair. Shaddow, fist full of silver locks, pulled his head back. "What the freaking hell did you do!?!?!" The demoness shrieked.
The half-breed managed to get his hair free from the demoness' grip. He shoved her back, and glanced around. Just about everyone else was just recovering from his or her shock. He straightened himself up and sat back as he had. Nathifa climbed into his lap, and he protectively put his arms around her.
"We're mates." The dark haired girl stated simply, nuzzling the white haired demon's neck, perfectly happy. Kagome felt sick. /She/ was her replacement?! A sissy little girl who acted like a helpless moron. Yes, Kagome was jealous. Yes, she wanted to undo everything and go back to the way things were. She still wanted Inuyasha as much as she had over a year ago.
"You! Girl!" Shaddow pointed at Kagome, looking very red faced and flustered, panic hidden by anger. "Kagome. You can see the shard, can't you? Which one has it?!"
"Why should I tell you? Why should I tell anyone? It doesn't matter. It's in your possession, isn't it?" Kagome started to leave. The demoness grabbed her skirt and pulled her back down, the girl landing with a hard thud.
"You're not leaving until you tell me." Shaddow stated simply, seemingly regaining her calm. Kagome frowned and tried to get up again. She was just pushed back down. Inuyasha was hiding his laughter while his 'mate' was looking at her.
Kagome looked at the two sensing the shard in one of them, but it was hard to tell which one had it. She focused harder. A faint glow appeared around Nathifa, her gray eyes staring directly into Kagome's.
"Her. Nat." Inuyasha's chuckling immediately stopped and his arms became tighter around the girl in his lap. He growled.
"Nathifa to you, bitch." He snarled. Shaddow sighed, sounding very relieved. She waved her hand to dismiss Kagome, who stood and walked out. "What's the matter, Shaddow? You seemed worried for a minute, there." Nathifa asked. Miroku shook his head in disbelief.
"What's your problem, monk?" Inuyasha asked indifferently.
"Never thought you, of all people, Inuyasha, would get to. uh. get a mate before me." Miroku replied. "Guess we should have figured it out sooner."
"The way you were acting around her. well, it seemed like you were overprotective." Sango sighed shaking her head while staring at the two cuddling. "Inuyasha. Nathifa. who would've guessed. And here we thought you were just trying to replaced Kagome."
"I was. at first. but she, like Kagome and Kykiou, showed me how different they were from each other. I'm glad I finally found someone who wouldn't leave me for anything."
"You still have your life in front of you, Inuyasha. There's still a chance." The monk stated. "And besides, one of you has to die before the other."
"Well, Nat ain't dyin' before me, that's for sure." Inuyasha stated gruffly.
"No, I'll die at the same time. That way neither of us has grief to bear." Nathifa said softly. Inuyasha gently stroked her head, kissing the top of it.
"If that's all we're going to talk about tonight, then I'm getting her to bed." The half demon stood, cradling the half angel in his arms.
"Don't you mean 'bed her', not 'put her to bed'." Miroku had barely gotten the sentence out before Sango had smacked him in the back of the head, and Inuyasha had stomped his face into the floor.
"Get your head out of your pants, Miroku." Sango said disgustedly as she stood to leave. "I suggest we all get to bed. We'll discuss more in the morning." With that, she left, the half-demons and demon following. Miroku rubbed the back of his head.
"What's a 'mate'?" Colin asked. The monk was surprised he was still there; he had been so quite no one had even remembered his presence. "Well. What's a 'mate'?"
Miroku rolled his eyes and sighed. "I'll explain in the morning."
