Chapter Five: Dawn of the Blood Red Moon.
Kaede hummed softly as she stirred the burning embers of the fire. Sango and Miroku managed to bring Inuyasha to the old priestess' hut before the poison worsened the demon's condition. "The poison is strong...but then so is Inuyasha's will to survive. Any other human or demon probably wouldn't have survived this long."
The silver haired demon lay behind the old woman on a mat. Miroku sat to Kaede's right and Sango to her left, away from the monk's wandering hands. Inuyasha's still form breathed softly behind them, cringing with pain every now and then. "Ki...Kikiyo..."
Sango turned back to look at the sleeping form and sighed. "I'm starting to think that he was the reason for Kagome's sudden departure." She turned and looked at Miroku, who in turn nodded. She missed Kagome and Inuyasha's constant bickering. It brought joy to them all, but not anymore. And to here him whispering that...that thing's name only succeeded in making her blood boil.
"It's strange." He started. "Despite his condition he sneaks out some nights. I've seen him. I wonder where he goes." Kaede listens but says nothing on the subject. If she knows anything about the situation she doesn't let the others now. Instead she applies a cold towel onto the demons head. Sneaking off at night did seem like something he would do. But where would he go? Not far, that's for sure.
"I bet it has something to do with Kikiyo." Sango sneered coldly. She stared into the fire and let out a sigh. "Why'd it have to be this way....?"
Miroku glanced back at the hanyou as his cry echoed through the hut, one hand clutched the blanket and another held the space over his heart. "I don't know. But then, I guess all good things have to come to an end." He looked at the old woman. "Is he getting any better, he seems to be getting worse."
Kaede looked up from her fire and sighed, looking back at the sleeping demon. "I have done all that I can...it is up to him to fight it now. It won't be long now." Came the reply. She cared very much for the demon and hated seeing him this way, but what bothered her the most was the name he kept whimpering. Kikiyo. If Miroku was right and he had seen Inuyasha sneaking out late at night then that must be where he goes.
*~*~*~*~*~
The sky is dark and the black clouds overhead block the stars light. The shady trees don't help much either, but Kagome is determined not to turn back without her shard. She travels some more coming to a clearing, a campsite, or what used to be one. Bodies and body lay everywhere and Kagome backed away a few feet, her hand clasped over her mouth in horror.
A stabbing pain shoots through her body suddenly and her hand instantly goes to her side, clutching it gently. "Ah...! I thought Sesshoumaru fixed this!" she mumbled, the pain, such pain! 'The bruise on your side you now carry is an unusual one...' his voice echoed through her head and she let out a small curse. It would be that side; something's always happening to it, first a shard was ripped from it and now this. The ark clouds that loomed over lead moved away, letting an eerie red light flow through. Kagome looked up curiously, her eyes fell upon a full moon, a blood red moon.
Kagome didn't know why but for some reason she felt strange, really strange. What the hell is going on? Maybe it was something in the air...that had to be it. That would explain it. Her hand went up to her head and she swayed a little. She suddenly regretted ever leaving.
Her sense pricked up again and her head snapped up. The jewel...it was close, very. Ignoring her sudden fit of nausea she trudged forwards, but she didn't have to wait long. She froze in the spot as the area of woods she almost walked into was torn apart. Letting out a small yelp Kagome jumped backwards, yanking the sword from her waist and bringing it up as a shield from flying debris.
Her dark eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. A large demon loomed overhead in front of her. It's skin was as dark as the forest and out ranked many trees in size. It was huge. Its skin was scaly and glimmered in the eerie red light that illuminated from the red moon. It turned to her; it's red eyes gleaming.
Kagome backed up a little and clutched the sword to her chest. In the past Inuyasha was always there to fight for her and protect her from harm, but not anymore. Wait, she'd come out here because she wanted to prove she could defend herself! And besides, she had a weapon! A smirk on her face she fastened the blade to her waist and positioned the blade in front of her. The monster in turn opened it's jaws and let out a roar. Kagome's eyes widened with shock, there in the middle of the things head was a jewel shard.
This was it...she could do this... Determination planted on her face she shifted her feet into a fighting stance and leapt forward with speed the old blade raised...
*~*~*~*~*~
He didn't know why, but he knew he had to protect her, or at least figure out where she had gone. It was the promise he had made and the fact that he sensed something wrong. The girl would be staying with them until his innocence was proven and he meant that, when she needed it she would be protected. Her scent was heavy as he traveled through the woods, a sign that she had not to long ago past through the area. A scream echoed through the air and he followed it to find her on the ground, covered in blood. Most of what used to be her ridiculous outfit had been torn to shreds. Her attacker made its presence known as it stomped towards her ready to deal the final blow and Sesshoumaru was about to jump in and prevent it but stopped.
Kagome dug the Tetsusaiga into the ground and used it to help her stand. The short battle she had fought had been a long and bloody one, well to her at least, but she would not give up. She wasn't with Inuyasha anymore; it was just her and Shippo. If she couldn't protect herself no what made her think she could protect her little fox friend? "I'm...not....gonna...let...you...win!" Her mask of determination never left her face, instead it grew. With a growl she swings the Tetsusaiga to the side, ignoring the surge of energy that went through her as it transformed. It seemed so natural.
The demon lord froze as he watched her. A human priestess transformed their father's mighty sword? How? A rare look of what could pass for shock past his beautiful features. What the hell was this...this girl? Not human, that's for sure... The sky seemed different to him for some reason. His yellow eyes rose to meet the red moon above and he frowned. Something evil was going on. Suddenly something else caught his eye. She seemed to change. Empty cold orbs had replaced her once cheerful eyes and that same demon scent filled his nose again...
Kaede hummed softly as she stirred the burning embers of the fire. Sango and Miroku managed to bring Inuyasha to the old priestess' hut before the poison worsened the demon's condition. "The poison is strong...but then so is Inuyasha's will to survive. Any other human or demon probably wouldn't have survived this long."
The silver haired demon lay behind the old woman on a mat. Miroku sat to Kaede's right and Sango to her left, away from the monk's wandering hands. Inuyasha's still form breathed softly behind them, cringing with pain every now and then. "Ki...Kikiyo..."
Sango turned back to look at the sleeping form and sighed. "I'm starting to think that he was the reason for Kagome's sudden departure." She turned and looked at Miroku, who in turn nodded. She missed Kagome and Inuyasha's constant bickering. It brought joy to them all, but not anymore. And to here him whispering that...that thing's name only succeeded in making her blood boil.
"It's strange." He started. "Despite his condition he sneaks out some nights. I've seen him. I wonder where he goes." Kaede listens but says nothing on the subject. If she knows anything about the situation she doesn't let the others now. Instead she applies a cold towel onto the demons head. Sneaking off at night did seem like something he would do. But where would he go? Not far, that's for sure.
"I bet it has something to do with Kikiyo." Sango sneered coldly. She stared into the fire and let out a sigh. "Why'd it have to be this way....?"
Miroku glanced back at the hanyou as his cry echoed through the hut, one hand clutched the blanket and another held the space over his heart. "I don't know. But then, I guess all good things have to come to an end." He looked at the old woman. "Is he getting any better, he seems to be getting worse."
Kaede looked up from her fire and sighed, looking back at the sleeping demon. "I have done all that I can...it is up to him to fight it now. It won't be long now." Came the reply. She cared very much for the demon and hated seeing him this way, but what bothered her the most was the name he kept whimpering. Kikiyo. If Miroku was right and he had seen Inuyasha sneaking out late at night then that must be where he goes.
*~*~*~*~*~
The sky is dark and the black clouds overhead block the stars light. The shady trees don't help much either, but Kagome is determined not to turn back without her shard. She travels some more coming to a clearing, a campsite, or what used to be one. Bodies and body lay everywhere and Kagome backed away a few feet, her hand clasped over her mouth in horror.
A stabbing pain shoots through her body suddenly and her hand instantly goes to her side, clutching it gently. "Ah...! I thought Sesshoumaru fixed this!" she mumbled, the pain, such pain! 'The bruise on your side you now carry is an unusual one...' his voice echoed through her head and she let out a small curse. It would be that side; something's always happening to it, first a shard was ripped from it and now this. The ark clouds that loomed over lead moved away, letting an eerie red light flow through. Kagome looked up curiously, her eyes fell upon a full moon, a blood red moon.
Kagome didn't know why but for some reason she felt strange, really strange. What the hell is going on? Maybe it was something in the air...that had to be it. That would explain it. Her hand went up to her head and she swayed a little. She suddenly regretted ever leaving.
Her sense pricked up again and her head snapped up. The jewel...it was close, very. Ignoring her sudden fit of nausea she trudged forwards, but she didn't have to wait long. She froze in the spot as the area of woods she almost walked into was torn apart. Letting out a small yelp Kagome jumped backwards, yanking the sword from her waist and bringing it up as a shield from flying debris.
Her dark eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. A large demon loomed overhead in front of her. It's skin was as dark as the forest and out ranked many trees in size. It was huge. Its skin was scaly and glimmered in the eerie red light that illuminated from the red moon. It turned to her; it's red eyes gleaming.
Kagome backed up a little and clutched the sword to her chest. In the past Inuyasha was always there to fight for her and protect her from harm, but not anymore. Wait, she'd come out here because she wanted to prove she could defend herself! And besides, she had a weapon! A smirk on her face she fastened the blade to her waist and positioned the blade in front of her. The monster in turn opened it's jaws and let out a roar. Kagome's eyes widened with shock, there in the middle of the things head was a jewel shard.
This was it...she could do this... Determination planted on her face she shifted her feet into a fighting stance and leapt forward with speed the old blade raised...
*~*~*~*~*~
He didn't know why, but he knew he had to protect her, or at least figure out where she had gone. It was the promise he had made and the fact that he sensed something wrong. The girl would be staying with them until his innocence was proven and he meant that, when she needed it she would be protected. Her scent was heavy as he traveled through the woods, a sign that she had not to long ago past through the area. A scream echoed through the air and he followed it to find her on the ground, covered in blood. Most of what used to be her ridiculous outfit had been torn to shreds. Her attacker made its presence known as it stomped towards her ready to deal the final blow and Sesshoumaru was about to jump in and prevent it but stopped.
Kagome dug the Tetsusaiga into the ground and used it to help her stand. The short battle she had fought had been a long and bloody one, well to her at least, but she would not give up. She wasn't with Inuyasha anymore; it was just her and Shippo. If she couldn't protect herself no what made her think she could protect her little fox friend? "I'm...not....gonna...let...you...win!" Her mask of determination never left her face, instead it grew. With a growl she swings the Tetsusaiga to the side, ignoring the surge of energy that went through her as it transformed. It seemed so natural.
The demon lord froze as he watched her. A human priestess transformed their father's mighty sword? How? A rare look of what could pass for shock past his beautiful features. What the hell was this...this girl? Not human, that's for sure... The sky seemed different to him for some reason. His yellow eyes rose to meet the red moon above and he frowned. Something evil was going on. Suddenly something else caught his eye. She seemed to change. Empty cold orbs had replaced her once cheerful eyes and that same demon scent filled his nose again...