A/N: Chapter 5, YAY!!! This is an R rated fic due to Inu Yasha's language and Miroku's thoughts. You have been warned. Enjoy and please review! It encourages me to write the next chapter!
And to all of you who requested more Sango/Miroku waff, don't worry, I have some serious stuff planned for my favorite houshi and taijiya!!!
Disclaimer: The Inu tachi is owned by Rumiko Takahashi.
Recap:
They nodded in compliance as they stood in fighting stance on each side of their friend. Shippou sat on Kagome's shoulder, ready to do his part to protect his adopted mother. Kiarara snarled as she changed from a tiny cat into her giant youkai form.
As Inu Yasha and Kouga stood ready to face the beast, a blast of air swished past throwing Inu Yasha and Kouga to the ground. They sat stunned as the others looked on. "What the fuck was that?" Inu Yasha snarled as he pulled himself up, only to have a second whirl of wind rush past. His eyes grew wide as he lifted one clawed hand to his chest, staring in bewilderment at the blood soaking his haori and coating his fingers. A large rip across his overcoat and undershirt revealed a deep gash sliced across his chest, his crimson blood pooling to the ground.
Chapter 5: Enter Myouga, the Flea
"Inu Yasha!" Kagome screamed. She watched in horror as a blurring gust of solid wind blew past, slicing through the hanyou's body before it stopped by the woods. Her eyes grew wide at the amount of blood gushing from the wound across Inu Yasha's chest.
Before she could rush to his side, Miroku's arm reached out, holding her back.
"No, Kagome-sama, we do not know what manner of beast this is." Miroku said as he pulled the miko behind him and Sango. The girl only nodded in response.
Inu Yasha pulled himself up into a crouching position. A growl rumbled from him as he turned to the wolf prince who now stood beside him. "Did you see anything, Kouga?" He snarled, biting back the pain in this chest.
"Only a strong gust of wind, it was fast." Kouga replied, glancing nervously around. His eyes rested on the youkai wind at the far end of the village. "I don't like this, Inu Yasha. Whatever this is, it's faster than even me."
Inu Yasha grunted once more, one clawed hand clutching at his chest.
Kouga looked to the hanyou on his right smirking arrogantly. "Oi, Inu Kuro, what's wrong with you?"
"Piss off, wolf wimp!" Inu Yasha hissed as the pain seared through him. A stream of blood trickled down his chest, staining the fire rat fur of his overcoat.
"Don't worry, Kagome," Kouga yelled over his shoulder to the girl, "I'll kill this bastard for you."
"Keh!" Was all Inu Yasha could say before the whirling wind came rushing toward them again. He lunged to the side, rolling to a crouched position as he felt the sting of air swish past. Stabbing Tetsusaiga lightly into the dirt, he leaned on the sword pulling himself up.
Kouga too had seen the strange blur rushing at them and jumped high into the air, landing several feet from where he and the hanyou had stood. The youkai wind quickly changed direction to once again attack. Kouga crouched slightly before running at full speed in a head on attack.
"Kouga, no!" Inu Yasha ran after the wolf pack leader, but his speed was no match for the other demon.
He watched wide-eyed as Kouga leapt high with an outstretched leg. Before his foot made contact with the beast, Kouga was wrenched from the air. Blood splattered as he was sucked into the whirlwind. Seconds later Kouga came flying back through the air. He landed with a hard thud before skidding several feet across the ground. His body leaving a deep trench in its wake.
Kouga shook himself as he sat up, staring in disbelief at the tear in his armor. A long, bloody slice ran the length of his thigh. "What the hell is that thing?" Still shaking, he pulled himself up, growling as pain shot through his leg. Something was not right with this enemy. Sniffing into the air, he tried to identify this new foe, grunting in frustration as the foul scent filled his nostrils. It was beyond his recognition.
Inu Yasha walked to the middle of the village, Tetsusaiga held out before him. He eyed the swirling mass as it once again changed direction. His keen senses worked quickly to judge speed and distance before slamming the giant fang down. "Kaze no Kizu!" A bright light flashed forward. Chunks of dirt and rock flew as the Cutting Wind ripped through the land and air, slamming with violent force into the oncoming youkai. Inu Yasha flew back from the force of the impact, landing with a grunt on his backside, Tetsusaiga still clenched securely in both fists.
"Nani?" Inu Yasha and Kouga exclaimed in unison. The unknown youkai still stood behind a wall of rushing wind. Eyes narrowing, Inu Yasha smirked as he realized he could now see a fuzzy shape within the wind cloud. Though the demon still moved at an accelerated rate, the kaze no kizu had slowed it enough to make it somewhat visible. Before he could begin a second attack, the creature sped off toward the forest, escaping into the safety of the dense wood.
"Chicken shit!" Kouga spat, "What kind of demon runs from a fight?"
Inu Yasha staggered on his feet, swaying slightly as he tried to gain his balance against pain and the wind raging around him. Sniffing at the air, "It's gone down wind, I can't pick up its scent anymore."
"Hai," Kouga agreed as he too tried to catch the youkai's scent in the stormy wind.
"Is it gone?" Sango asked, her bone boomerang held in her tight grip.
"I no longer feel its youki," the houshi replied, "but it moves so swiftly, I cannot say for certain it has fled the area."
Kagome shot past Miroku to Inu Yasha's side. With tentative hands she pulled back the ripped fire rat fur of his overcoat to assess the inu youkai's wounds. She gasped, swallowing down the bile that now rose in her throat. The wound was deep, tiny chips of bone clung to the torn muscle and flesh. "Come on, Inu Yasha. This is bad, I need to treat it." She grabbed for his arm intent on leading him back to the small hut where her supplies were.
Inu Yasha jerked out of her grasp, "Keh! I'm fine, woman!" He walked to the edge of the forest where the youkai had disappeared. "It'll be back." He muttered as he walked back to the hut.
The others followed him quietly, each engrossed in their own thoughts.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inu Yasha glared, his fangs bared as he scowled at his Kagome. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when she had plastered the smelly medicine on the wimpy wolf's thigh, her fingers rubbing it into the wound running the length of the youkai's upper thigh. A deep growl rumbled in his throat when Kouga turned a smirking glance toward him. Her hands were just a little too close for his liking. 'I'll kill him!' the hanyou thought, relaxing slightly when she began bandaging Kouga's leg.
"You should stay off that leg for a day or two, Kouga-kun." Kagome said as she finished wrapping the white gauze around the wolf prince's injured limb.
Kouga smiled at the miko, his eyes shining mischievously as he caught the low growls of the hanyou. "Arigato, Kagome." He murmured as he grabbed one of her hands, his fingers brushing lightly against her palm. His smile widened as Inu Yasha's growls grew louder.
Kagome blushed deeply as she snatched her hand away. Side glancing at Inu Yasha, she quickly averted her gaze from his amber glare. "The ointment should help it heal faster, but you should still rest it a while."
"Feh!" Inu Yasha snorted. "He's a full youkai with Shikon no kakera, Kagome! He heals faster than I do, stupid girl." He mumbled the last under his breath.
"Stop grumbling, Inu Yasha! Now, let me see your wound." Kagome reached up to remove the hanyou's haori but stopped as he gently shoved her hands away. "Baka!" At her outburst, his ears laid protectively against his head, shielding them from anymore of her outbursts. "That thing cut you pretty bad! So stop trying to be all tough and let me treat you, damn it!"
Inu Yasha looked up, his liquid gold eyes meeting her hazel ones. He inwardly flinched as he saw the hurt hidden behind her anger in those endless pools of hers. Sighing, he jerked off the haori, hissing in regret as a sharp pain wrenched through him. Growling, he was more careful in taking off his undershirt, allowing Kagome to help him.
Kagome inhaled sharply. The wound was much worse than she had originally thought, running several inches across the expanse of his chest. Outside she had only glimpsed it through his ripped clothes and increasing darkness of the approaching storm. Now, in the bright orange glow of the fire, she got a clear view. With gentle hands she cleansed away the blood, asking Shippou to refresh the bowl of water many times. "Gomen, this might sting." She said as she smeared on the thick, clear goop.
Inu Yasha winced, a whimper escaping him as Kagome carefully worked on the wound. When she stopped to look up at him, he gave a brief nod for her to continue, not wanting to anger or hurt her feelings again. And he really did need to have it treated. Though he had not looked at his own injury, the searing pain and quantities of lost blood told him it was bad. His skin burned beneath the miko's light touch, her careful ministrations teasing his skin. Just her touch alone was all the balm he needed to stop his pain. As Kagome leaned closer to bind the wound, he inhaled her soft scent, reveling in its sweetness. He sat still with his eyes closed, his ears swiveling to catch the low conversation of the taijiya and houshi, who were surprisingly getting along. He picked up the deep breathing of the kitsune sleeping next to Kirara. The fire cat gave a soft mew occasionally as she dreamed. Kagome leaned closer into him, her arms encircling his chest as she wrapped the gauze securely around him. Tensing, he tried to keep his mind off the girl whose face was practically against his bare chest.
Kagome blushed as she leaned forward, her eyes downcast as she tried not to look at the lean muscles of the hanyou. Feeling his muscles tense up, she paused to look up at him. Inu Yasha sat with his eyes closed, his face expressionless except for a slight pink shading his cheeks. "Inu…Inu Yasha?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "Daijoubu?"
His canine ears flitted, pricking forward to better catch her words. "Huh, Kagome?" Inu Yasha asked. So engrossed in her closeness, he had missed her question.
"Are you alright, Inu Yasha? The bandage isn't too tight?"
This time he heard her words. "Feh," he snorted softly, resting his eyes on her upturned face. She pulled back from him, and Inu Yasha suddenly missed the warmth of her breath on his bare skin. Seeing the concern in her eyes, he unconsciously reached up a clawed hand cupping her cheek lightly. A corner of his lip curved upward as he crooked a smile at her, "Arigato, Kagome. I feel better." He seemed lost in her endless gaze, her face mere inches from his. Slowly, without thought, he seemed to be closing the already narrow distance, his eyes darting once to the girl's soft pink lips.
"What's Inu Yasha doing?" Shippou's sleepy voice broke the silence just as Kouga began growling.
Realizing what they were both doing, Kagome jumped to her feet nearly tripping over the roll of bandages left on the floor. Inu Yasha jumped back, turning his head in embarrassment. 'What was I thinking?' He berated himself. 'Baka! This is all that wimpy wolf's fault!' A sudden heat rushed through him as he thought of what he had almost done. For once he was grateful for Shippou's interference. If the kitsune had not had perfect timing, Inu Yasha was sure he would have made a fool out of himself and kissed the girl…right there in front of everyone. 'Baka!' his brain yelled again, mentally hitting himself. Inu Yasha's embarrassment quickly turned to anger.
"I told you I was fine, wench! I don't need your help!" Snarling through gritted teeth, the hanyou tried to hide the sharp pain his outburst was causing.
"Fine! Next time you can just bleed to death for all I care!" Kagome yelled back as she stomped off to sit next to Sango and Miroku.
A throaty chuckle filled the room and everyone turned to look at Miroku. "It would seem Inu Yasha is feeling much better, Kagome-sama."
"Hentai!" A sudden thud ended the monk's laughter as Sango's Hairikotsu slammed lightly with the houshi's head.
"I didn't say anything bad!" Miroku protested, rubbing the knot on the back of his head.
"You were thinking it!" She retorted, scooting away from him to sit closer to the still red faced Kagome.
Shippou giggled happily as Miroku pouted, still rubbing his damaged cranium. "Was Inu Yasha going to kiss you, Kagome?" The fox child asked innocently.
"Hell no!" Inu Yasha barked back, cracking his knuckles threateningly at the little fox. His outburst caused Kagome to turn an even deeper shade of red, her voice frozen in her throat.
"Good thing, dog turd, or I'd have kicked your scrawny ass for touching my woman!" Kouga growled.
"She's not YOUR woman!" Anger flashed in the hanyou's eyes. Kouga lay on his side, one elbow resting on the floor with his head propped up on his balled fist. A clawed finger of his free hand scratched absently into the floor in front of him. The wolf's lazy attitude only aggravated the inu youkai further. Forgetting his wound, Inu Yasha snatched up the Tetsusaiga, yanking it free of its sheath.
Kouga jumped to his feet, wincing as pain shot through his injured limb. "She is MY woman!"
Positioning himself into a low crouch, Inu Yasha prepared to pounce on the wolf leader. "Stop saying that, asshole!" A threatening growl tore from him, his golden eyes burning into Kouga's. Just as he launched himself at the wolf youkai, Kagome appeared.
"Osuwari!" With a thump and a groan of agony, Inu Yasha face planted to the floor. A soft whimper escaped him before he slipped into unconsciousness.
"Oh my God! Inu Yasha!" Kagome rushed to his side, guilt filling her. "Inu Yasha?" The miko pleaded, begging her hanyou to wake up. "Miroku-sama, help me get him to a futon."
"The houshi and I'll do it, Kagome. You're not strong enough to lift him." Kouga offered, then retreated as she glared at him, angry fire burning in her eyes. Kouga swallowed audibly and he felt his hackles rise. He could feel the girl's miko powers increase with her anger and he cringed inwardly.
"Don't you touch him, Kouga! I am NOT your woman. I am NO ONES woman! And how could you get him all upset knowing he's injured?" She towered over the wolf boy, forcing him to lower his head in shame.
"G-gomen, Kagome" Kouga gulped. He had never seen the miko so angry; she scared him. Her beautiful face was scrunched into a scowl, her hazel eyes squinted to tiny slits, her delicate brows lowered to emphasize her ire.
"I'll help houshi-sama." Sango approached the still unconscious hanyou. Carefully grasping him under one arm, Miroku took the other and the moved him to Kagome's sleeping bag. They rolled him onto his back gently, careful not to jar his injury further.
It took a moment for Kagome to register where her two friends had put the unconscious dog demon. Her eyes widened as she turned to them, "B-b-but, where I am supposed to sleep?"
A knowing smile lit the taijiya's eyes. "You're sleeping bag was the closest bed, Kagome-chan, and Inu Yasha is quite heavy."
The miko sighed in resignation. "I probably won't sleep much tonight anyway. Guess I better redress his wounds." With one final glare of warning at Kouga, she once again grabbed her medical supplies and began working on rebinding Inu Yasha's injury.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inu Yasha woke to something heavy lying across his stomach. Cracking open one golden eye, he glimpsed a waterfall of raven black hair. Inhaling deeply, he caught the intoxicating scent of honey, sweet herbs, and Kagome. She shifted, turning her face to his, her hair falling over her serene features. Her arms tightened their hold around him, and he reached down, gently pulling her further up his body, her head now nestled against the hollow of shoulder. Resting his chin on top of her head, he closed his eyes again. She would probably "sit" him a hundred times for this, but it was worth it to hold her, if only for the few hours left in the night.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As the morning sun began its ascent into the sky, Kagome became aware of something warm pressed against her. Her sleep filled mind slowly retraced the steps of the previous night. She and Sango had replaced Inu Yasha's bloodied bandages with new ones. By the time she had finished packing away the medical supplies, everyone else had fallen asleep. Shippou and Kirara had curled themselves up next to Sango. Miroku slept with his back against a wall, his shakujou held in his cursed hand rested against his shoulder. Kouga slept by the fire lying on his stomach, his arms pillowed beneath his head. Feeling drowsy herself, Kagome had quietly placed her backpack behind her to lean upon. The small group crowded the little hut, so she sat next to Inu Yasha. Someone would have to stay up and keep watch, and she being the only one awake was the obvious choice.
'I must have fallen asleep.' Her now fully awake brain rationalized. ' Eep! Inu Yasha's going to kill me if he wakes with me like this!' No sooner did her now functional mind say those words then did she try to carefully disengage herself from the hanyou's gentle embrace. A pale pink tinted her face as her movement only caused him to pull her tighter against him. "Now what?" She mumbled out loud, watching as his fuzzy, white ears flicked at the sound of her voice. Fearing waking the sleeping hanyou, she once again closed her eyes and lay still, forcing her thoughts to stay quiet. She did not notice the frowning wolf youkai watching her, or the smiling looks of the taijiya and houshi.
Sniffing at the air, Kouga suddenly rose to his feet, "Something's coming."
Instantly everyone was awake, including the previously sleeping Inu Yasha. He pulled himself up into a sitting position, gasping softly at the tight pain in his chest, Kagome still held in his embrace.
"Is it the youkai from last night?" Miroku asked, standing at alert ready to go into battle. Sango too readied herself, grabbing Hairikotsu.
Sniffing the gentle breeze that blew in from the now repaired door flap, "No, this doesn't have the same stink." Kouga walked over to the doorway and pulled back the bamboo flap.
"Smells like… Hachi?" Inu Yasha sniffed again, "It's that damn tanuke alright!" He exclaimed as he released his hold on the miko.
Kagome did not move from his side, rather stayed there as she tried to register the fact that Inu Yasha had woken up holding her and acted like he didn't notice. And when he did notice, he acted like it was no big deal. Pushing aside her confusion over his actions, she suddenly jumped as Inu Yasha's hand came up and slapped at something on his neck.
Everyone watched as a flat speck floated into the open palm of Inu Yasha's hand. "Myouga-jiji!" The hanyou exclaimed, glaring at the tiny flea.
"Inu Yasha-sama! I have been searching everywhere for you! Thank Kami I found Hachi and he brought me here.!"
The flea huffed, as he popped himself back into his full bodied shape.
"What is it you want, flea?" Inu Yasha snapped, eyes darting to the doorway where Miroku's on again off again youkai servant now stood.
"I have come to warn you of the Kamaitachi, Inu Yasha-sama."
A/N: First off, I would like to apologize for taking so long to post this chapter! I had writer's block (Evil Writer's Block!) but I am thankfully over it now! FF.net wouldn't let my upload any new chapters for some reason! Secondly, I would like to thank all of you for being patient during all my evil cliffhangers! And yes, this is especially for you Whoobanhooaglo! I know how much you really hate them…so I decided to end this chapter without a real one. But the next one…Muwahahahaha!!! For those of you who are mad at me for getting Inu-chan hurt…get over it! He will! He is half youkai after all! And Kouga is hurt too…well, barely! I just loved scaring the hell out of him with an irate Kagome! We always see poor Shippou and Inu Yasha cringing from her frightening anger, thought Kouga should experience it too. As for vocabulary, I don't think there's too much Japanese in here that most don't already know…but if there is, e-mail me and I will be glad to explain and I will put the glossary of words back at the end of each chapter. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, and to those of you who haven't, PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!! It encourages the next chapters!