Chapter 23: "Ohay OH!" Unexpected Surprises
For some unknown reason, Kagome was the first to awaken. The morning fog was still thick and low to the ground, leaving a slight chill in the air. The warm body behind her chased away the chilliness. Even though she was already held tightly by her lover, Kagome tried to snuggle with her mate even more, enjoying the feel of him next to her. After getting a little more of an embrace, she looked around the damp, dew ridden camp. The fire had long since burned out. Shippo was curled up with Kirara, partially buried under one of her tails. Sango was asleep on the opposite side of camp, cuddled up with Miroku behind her. Both content and both had a smile on their faces. Kagome couldn't help but smile at the sight. 'Well looks like our plan worked, huh Sango. You and Miroku are finally together. You both deserve happiness.' Kagome continued to smile at the couple as she rested her head against Inuyasha's chest, listening to his heart beat, which was slowly pulling her back to sleep. An unannounced, low growl had her mind wandering to somewhere else besides sleep. 'Figures!' Very carefully and very, very slowly, Kagome managed to untangle herself from her sleeping mate. 'He's soooo cute when he's asleep. Not to mention kind and sweet, why can't he stay like this all the time...Then he wouldn't be Inuyasha, right!?' The low growl sounded again, louder this time and more persistent. Kagome whispered to herself as she silently snuck out of camp. "Ok, ok, breakfast it is."
After a few minutes of walking, Kagome came to the river that lay next to the hot springs she had visited the night before. "I think fish sounds delicious. And I'm sure everyone will be happy when they wake to fresh cooked fish." A huge smile spread across her face at the prospect of making her friends happy.
Kagome quickly leapt from rock to rock as she made her way to a large rock as she made her way to a large rock resting in the middle of the river. She kneeled and looked down at the clear water below. Kagome could easily see several mackerel swimming around below her. She licker her lips hungrily and raised her arm, ready to strike. She waited patiently for a fish to come close enough, and when one did, she let loose. With all the speed she had and what little skill she knew, she thrust her clawed hand into the chilly water at the unsuspecting mackerel.
"Well, well...If it isn't my worthless, half-breed, brother's bitch...And all by herself at that, what a shame."
Even though she already knew who it was, Kagome looked up at his frigid face of her mate's older brother. "Sesshoumaru!" It was just barely above a whisper but that one word held enough venom to kill a whole city. Flashbacks of the twins and their stories had her growling in an almost feral fashion. "What do you want?"
"Hmmph...The same thing I've wanted for the last three years, the Tetsusaiga...I've been unsuccessful though...But now...now that you're his mate, he's emothionally attached to you..You shall be my leverage." Without warning he leapt at the still growling miko.
Kagome's eyes went wide at seeing Sesshoumaru flying at her. With her hand still in the water, she pulled it out and threw the fish she had just caught at him, hoping to buy her some time. She quickly leapt from rock to rock and managed to make it to the riverbank opposite the full InuYoukai. The moment both feet hit the ground she was grabbed by the neck by a type of rope. Instinctively her hands flew to her neck in an attempt to free herself. For some strange reason the rope around her neck felt like it was burning, making it impossible for her to scream. Kagome glanced behind her to Sesshoumaru and noticed the rope around her neck was really his "poison whip" he was so fond of using.
"If you resist further. The poison will increase and there won't be anything left for Inuyasha to save." He landed on the bank a good ten feet behind her. "Now we wait for my worthless brother."
Kagome reluctantly let go of the whip at her neck and just stood there, waiting, silent, restrained, and thinking.
~***~
"Inuyasha?"
"..zzzzzzzzz.."
"Inuyasha, wake up Damn it!"
Inuyasha slowly opened one eye and looked around the camp. Nothing looked amiss, and everyone was still asleep. So he closed his eye and tried to go back to sleep.
"Inuyasha no Baka!! Sesshoumaru has captured me. Are you gonna sleep all day..Fine, I'll free myself."
Both Inuyasha's eyes were open now as he realized the owner of the voice wasn't sleep next to him. He clenched his sword tightly and started to growl. After standing up, he walked over to Miroku and Sango's bedroll and gave it a good yank, causing both people to roll out, resulting in two very stunned sleepyheads. "Hurry up..Sesshoumaru has Kagome." After those five words he started to walk away from the camp, determined to reach Kagome before anything bad happened her.
The two humans quickly caught up to the departing hanyou. Sango in her taiji uniform with Kirara on her shoulder. Miroku was carrying a still groggy fox youkai in her arms. Both looked to each other for answers but only got shrugs.
Inuyasha ran like a crazy man through the forest, relying on his nose and the sweet fragrance of his mates' shampoo. He ran for what seemed like hours but was really only a minute. The sight that greeted him had him stunned and speechless.
As he entered the clearing along the riverbank he found Kagome, standing lifelessly with a green glowing rope around her neck. The rope extending about ten feet back, joining with his emotionless half brother. "Sesshoumaru! Let her go. NOW!!!" Inuyasha unsheathed his sword and readied for the attack that was sure to come. The growl he was emitting became louder when Kagome wince and moan. "Sesshoumaru you bastard. You hide behind a woman.. And my woman no less..I'll kill you for involving Kagome."
Sesshoumaru merely scoffed at the outburst. He glanced briefly to the left looking into the forest just as the rest of the group arrived. A slight sneer curled his lips as he directed his attention back to the enraged hanyou. "I knew this girl would be the key. You've protected her as well as she has for you..This detestable human-turned-hanyou miko has interfered with our battles enough..Well not this time!" With a quick flick of his wrist, Sesshoumaru tossed Kagome toward a nearby tree, the poison whip still around her neck.
Kagome hit the tree with an incredible amount of force, causing several leaves and acorns to fall. The moment her back hit the tree, the whip continued on, wrapping itself around the tree and around Kagome, pinning her tightly. She shook her head to clear it from the impact to the tree. She then wiggled and slid, trying to free herself. The poison whip held her fast to the tree, not giving her any slack what-so-ever.
Sango and Miroku rushed over and started to pull at the whip. Both withdrew with a scream and looked at their hands. They were badly burned and bubbly from the poison on the whip. Sango then used Hiraikotsu on it, resulting in a partly melted boomerang. Miroku started to hack at the whip with his staff, but the poison soon started to eat away at the metal. They both stood staring, thinking, and looking completely hopeless.
"KITSUNEBI!" Shippo threw his foxfire at the backside of the tree. Resulting in the lower branch catching fire and no damage to the whip.
After extinguishing the branch they all looked to Inuyasha for answers. They didn't like what they saw. A VERY pissed, aggressive, protective hanyou was glaring swords at his brother.
Once Inuyasha realized that Kagome wasn't gonna be freed from the tree and that a poisonous whip was around her neck, he became furious. 'Good thing a hanyous' skin is thicker but.. If she dies, forget the jewel, I'm killing the bastard!' Inuyasha's growl became wilder as different possibilities ran through his mind. "I have to end this quickly so I can save Kagome..NOW IS OUR TIME! SESSHOUMARU!!!" Inuyasha leapt straight into the sky, coming down on his half brother, sword aimed and ready.
Kagome lifted her head to look at the fight. She saw just as Inuyasha was coming down on Sesshoumaru, at the same time she saw Sesshoumaru reach to grab something. "INUYASHA!"
For some unknown reason, Kagome was the first to awaken. The morning fog was still thick and low to the ground, leaving a slight chill in the air. The warm body behind her chased away the chilliness. Even though she was already held tightly by her lover, Kagome tried to snuggle with her mate even more, enjoying the feel of him next to her. After getting a little more of an embrace, she looked around the damp, dew ridden camp. The fire had long since burned out. Shippo was curled up with Kirara, partially buried under one of her tails. Sango was asleep on the opposite side of camp, cuddled up with Miroku behind her. Both content and both had a smile on their faces. Kagome couldn't help but smile at the sight. 'Well looks like our plan worked, huh Sango. You and Miroku are finally together. You both deserve happiness.' Kagome continued to smile at the couple as she rested her head against Inuyasha's chest, listening to his heart beat, which was slowly pulling her back to sleep. An unannounced, low growl had her mind wandering to somewhere else besides sleep. 'Figures!' Very carefully and very, very slowly, Kagome managed to untangle herself from her sleeping mate. 'He's soooo cute when he's asleep. Not to mention kind and sweet, why can't he stay like this all the time...Then he wouldn't be Inuyasha, right!?' The low growl sounded again, louder this time and more persistent. Kagome whispered to herself as she silently snuck out of camp. "Ok, ok, breakfast it is."
After a few minutes of walking, Kagome came to the river that lay next to the hot springs she had visited the night before. "I think fish sounds delicious. And I'm sure everyone will be happy when they wake to fresh cooked fish." A huge smile spread across her face at the prospect of making her friends happy.
Kagome quickly leapt from rock to rock as she made her way to a large rock as she made her way to a large rock resting in the middle of the river. She kneeled and looked down at the clear water below. Kagome could easily see several mackerel swimming around below her. She licker her lips hungrily and raised her arm, ready to strike. She waited patiently for a fish to come close enough, and when one did, she let loose. With all the speed she had and what little skill she knew, she thrust her clawed hand into the chilly water at the unsuspecting mackerel.
"Well, well...If it isn't my worthless, half-breed, brother's bitch...And all by herself at that, what a shame."
Even though she already knew who it was, Kagome looked up at his frigid face of her mate's older brother. "Sesshoumaru!" It was just barely above a whisper but that one word held enough venom to kill a whole city. Flashbacks of the twins and their stories had her growling in an almost feral fashion. "What do you want?"
"Hmmph...The same thing I've wanted for the last three years, the Tetsusaiga...I've been unsuccessful though...But now...now that you're his mate, he's emothionally attached to you..You shall be my leverage." Without warning he leapt at the still growling miko.
Kagome's eyes went wide at seeing Sesshoumaru flying at her. With her hand still in the water, she pulled it out and threw the fish she had just caught at him, hoping to buy her some time. She quickly leapt from rock to rock and managed to make it to the riverbank opposite the full InuYoukai. The moment both feet hit the ground she was grabbed by the neck by a type of rope. Instinctively her hands flew to her neck in an attempt to free herself. For some strange reason the rope around her neck felt like it was burning, making it impossible for her to scream. Kagome glanced behind her to Sesshoumaru and noticed the rope around her neck was really his "poison whip" he was so fond of using.
"If you resist further. The poison will increase and there won't be anything left for Inuyasha to save." He landed on the bank a good ten feet behind her. "Now we wait for my worthless brother."
Kagome reluctantly let go of the whip at her neck and just stood there, waiting, silent, restrained, and thinking.
~***~
"Inuyasha?"
"..zzzzzzzzz.."
"Inuyasha, wake up Damn it!"
Inuyasha slowly opened one eye and looked around the camp. Nothing looked amiss, and everyone was still asleep. So he closed his eye and tried to go back to sleep.
"Inuyasha no Baka!! Sesshoumaru has captured me. Are you gonna sleep all day..Fine, I'll free myself."
Both Inuyasha's eyes were open now as he realized the owner of the voice wasn't sleep next to him. He clenched his sword tightly and started to growl. After standing up, he walked over to Miroku and Sango's bedroll and gave it a good yank, causing both people to roll out, resulting in two very stunned sleepyheads. "Hurry up..Sesshoumaru has Kagome." After those five words he started to walk away from the camp, determined to reach Kagome before anything bad happened her.
The two humans quickly caught up to the departing hanyou. Sango in her taiji uniform with Kirara on her shoulder. Miroku was carrying a still groggy fox youkai in her arms. Both looked to each other for answers but only got shrugs.
Inuyasha ran like a crazy man through the forest, relying on his nose and the sweet fragrance of his mates' shampoo. He ran for what seemed like hours but was really only a minute. The sight that greeted him had him stunned and speechless.
As he entered the clearing along the riverbank he found Kagome, standing lifelessly with a green glowing rope around her neck. The rope extending about ten feet back, joining with his emotionless half brother. "Sesshoumaru! Let her go. NOW!!!" Inuyasha unsheathed his sword and readied for the attack that was sure to come. The growl he was emitting became louder when Kagome wince and moan. "Sesshoumaru you bastard. You hide behind a woman.. And my woman no less..I'll kill you for involving Kagome."
Sesshoumaru merely scoffed at the outburst. He glanced briefly to the left looking into the forest just as the rest of the group arrived. A slight sneer curled his lips as he directed his attention back to the enraged hanyou. "I knew this girl would be the key. You've protected her as well as she has for you..This detestable human-turned-hanyou miko has interfered with our battles enough..Well not this time!" With a quick flick of his wrist, Sesshoumaru tossed Kagome toward a nearby tree, the poison whip still around her neck.
Kagome hit the tree with an incredible amount of force, causing several leaves and acorns to fall. The moment her back hit the tree, the whip continued on, wrapping itself around the tree and around Kagome, pinning her tightly. She shook her head to clear it from the impact to the tree. She then wiggled and slid, trying to free herself. The poison whip held her fast to the tree, not giving her any slack what-so-ever.
Sango and Miroku rushed over and started to pull at the whip. Both withdrew with a scream and looked at their hands. They were badly burned and bubbly from the poison on the whip. Sango then used Hiraikotsu on it, resulting in a partly melted boomerang. Miroku started to hack at the whip with his staff, but the poison soon started to eat away at the metal. They both stood staring, thinking, and looking completely hopeless.
"KITSUNEBI!" Shippo threw his foxfire at the backside of the tree. Resulting in the lower branch catching fire and no damage to the whip.
After extinguishing the branch they all looked to Inuyasha for answers. They didn't like what they saw. A VERY pissed, aggressive, protective hanyou was glaring swords at his brother.
Once Inuyasha realized that Kagome wasn't gonna be freed from the tree and that a poisonous whip was around her neck, he became furious. 'Good thing a hanyous' skin is thicker but.. If she dies, forget the jewel, I'm killing the bastard!' Inuyasha's growl became wilder as different possibilities ran through his mind. "I have to end this quickly so I can save Kagome..NOW IS OUR TIME! SESSHOUMARU!!!" Inuyasha leapt straight into the sky, coming down on his half brother, sword aimed and ready.
Kagome lifted her head to look at the fight. She saw just as Inuyasha was coming down on Sesshoumaru, at the same time she saw Sesshoumaru reach to grab something. "INUYASHA!"
