Chapter 12: The Quest Begins!
Inuyasha returned to the camp to find Sango telling what she had found. He quickly sat down behind Seven and listened in. "according to the scrolls I found and the histories back at my village there are five great dragons." She pulled an old scroll from her sleeve. "This shows the dragons and their names. Blood, Shade, Mist, Worm, and Tai." She opened the scroll, on it was a picture of Japan with five dragons flying over it. On the picture of the island there were five landmarks. "I think the marks show where the dragons stay, but I could be wrong." Seven took the scroll and examined it for a minute. "No this is right, I remember where Blood stayed." Sango nodded, "is that the soul you have in your chest?" he nodded and handed the map back to her.
"Then that is where we go first!" Kagome cried happily. "Then Seven will be safe." Seven nodded. "But that will not end the quest." Inuyasha leaned foreword. "What do you mean?" Seven pointed to the map. "We are going after more than one dragon." Sango nodded "to save Kohaku we need the soul of Mist the water dragon." Seven nodded. "That's not all, we could use the soul of Tai as well." Kagome frowned. "How could we use Tai's soul?" Sango pointed to Miroku. "Tai is a wind dragon, he could seal the air rip in Miroku's hand so he could use it without fear of it swallowing him alive." Miroku nodded. "That would be nice."
Seven stood "well then lets get going, it's a good days journey at least to reach blood." Kagome nodded and went to pack her things. Miroku went off into the trees and Rain followed Kagome and Sango. Seven hoisted his case and started after the monk. Inuyasha waited until the girls were ready and then led the way following the other two men. Once they were underway Kagome started to question Sango about their trip and the marriage. Sango told her about the innkeeper's daughter and the day after. Kagome couldn't believe Sango's description of Miroku's actions. When Sango came to the marriage she started to blush. Kagome smiled. "Its ok Sango, you don't have to finish." Sango smiled at her friend "thanks, I don't know what I was going to say next." She blushed deeper and glanced at Miroku who was walking with Inuyasha. Then her eyes traveled to Seven and Rain, they were walking ahead of Miroku and Inuyasha. "So Kagome, who is that girl?"
Kagome sighed. "It's a long story," then she went into the details of how she had been kidnapped, met Rain and been rescued. About Seven's fight with the spider Youkai and then Inuyasha. Sango nodded. "So who is she?" Kagome blinked. "What do you mean?" Sango stared at the girl. "There is something.odd about her, I don't know what, but." she shook her head. "Never mind, forget I said anything." Kagome nodded a puzzled look on her face.
Some time before sunset Seven stopped the group. "Lets camp here tonight, Blood's layer is close but it would be best to approach it daylight." Inuyasha nodded. "Whatever, you know this Youkai better than the rest of us." Seven nodded and started off the path. The rest followed as he led them to a small clearing on the edge of a cliff. Miroku and Inuyasha went for firewood and Seven dug a small firepit. The girls got the food and bedding ready. Soon they were all eating dinner around a cheery fire.
Miroku was the first to go to bed. He was followed by Sango who lay beside him. Inuyasha mumbled something to Seven and went off into the forest. Rain went to the edge of the firelight to sleep in a bush, Seven laid next to the fire with his back to the flames. "Where did Inuyasha go Seven?" Kagome asked. Seven rolled over to face her. "Oh he just went for a walk, he shouldn't be far." Then he returned to his previous position and mumbled a good night. Kagome sighed and stared into the fire. It seemed she never had a quiet moment these days. What with all the running around they had been doing.
Since Seven had come they had not found a single jewel shard and yet they were just as busy. The surprising thing was that Inuyasha had not objected to their side quest. Usually if there was any obstacle to finding jewel shards he would fight it tooth and claw. This time however he had almost encouraged the journey. Could something be wrong? Kagome stood. "If there is something wrong I'm gonna find out what it is." She set out in the direction he had gone.
The forest was quiet and calm; very few sounds penetrated the foliage. Kagome carefully walked between the trees, trying to follow Inuyasha's path, she had after all picked up a few tracking skills from the Hanyou. After a few minutes of walking she heard a grunting off to her left, she changed her course quietly and continued. The grunting repeated, and then again at regular intervals. She cautiously tip toed foreword the grunting getting louder, until, their in one of the trees ahead of her she saw Inuyasha. He was hanging from one of the branches with his left hand. His shirt was off and sweat covered his arms and back, in his right hand he held the transformed Tetsusaiga. He lifted himself to the branch and then lowered himself back down, grunting.
Kagome giggled. "Are you working out Inuyasha?" Inuyasha tried to turn midair and his grip on the tree snapped and he plummeted to the ground. He barely landed on his feet and stumbled back into the tree. "Damn it Kagome, don't sneak up on me like that!" he sheathed the sword and retrieved his shirt which had been hanging over a bush. "Sorry Inuyasha, Seven said you had gone for a walk." Inuyasha pulled his shirt on. "Him again, I told him to keep you at camp." Kagome smiled, "he did a lousy job then." He walked past her heading in the direction of the camp, when he was a few paces away he stopped. "Would you, like to go on a walk?" Kagome blinked in surprise. "Sure Inuyasha." She went to his side and they walked off into the night.
They walked side by side through the forest heading in the general direction of the camp. Soon they reached the edge of the cliff the camp was on; Inuyasha stopped and sat on the edge staring out over the landscape. Kagome sat next to him, careful to stay a few feet from the ledge. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Kagome remembered why she had gone looking for him. "Are you alright Inuyasha?" he turned giving her a confused look. "What do you mean by that?" she frowned. "Recently you have been acting, well, odd." He started but she held up a hand to silence him. "Just listen. Ever since Seven came you have been acting weird, every time I come near you, you act like, I don't know, nervous." She looked at him to gauge his reaction. He was staring hard at the ground. "I'm sorry." He barely whispered. Kagome smiled once again he was truly himself, none of the tough barrier he had built. "It's just that when Seven came, he confronted me with things that I had denied from myself for the longest time." He turned his body so he was facing Kagome. "He somehow broke all the walls I had built to protect myself and made me realize something that I should have seen and admitted years ago." He reached over and took Kagome's hands in his, "he made me realize that I see you as more than a friend, more than a shard detector, I value you more than anything I have ever known, and that scared me." His hands were shaking and he was struggling to keep his voice calm and steady, why did she have such a strong effect on him? "The truth is I," he laughed softly. "Well I love you." Kagome gasped and stared in disbelief at the Hanyou before her. He loved her? Inuyasha had a worried look on his face; Kagome wasn't having the reaction he was hoping for, only the one he had grown to expect, rejection. He frowned and stood. "I understand Kagome, I'm used to it. I'll just help you finish the quest safely and then let you go home." He started to walk away.
Kagome finally found her voice. "Inuyasha!" she called after him. She stood and ran after his retreating form. "Huh?" he turned and caught her as she flew into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I love you too Inuyasha!" now he had the surprised look on his face. He held Kagome lightly in his arms trying to figure out what to say, "so you don't want to leave me?" she looked up at him. "Of course not you idiot!" he smiled "good" he lowered his face to hers and kissed her softly on the lips. She kissed him back, pushing up against him. After a few moments they broke apart, still holding each other. Inuyasha stared down into her dark eyes, "when this is all over, can I go home with you?" Kagome frowned, "I thought you wanted to become a full Youkai." He smiled. "Cant a guy change his mind once and a while?" she smiled and hugged him again. "Please come." He lowered his head to hers and whispered softly in her ear. "Only for you."
The sun rose over the edge of the cliff throwing long shadows through the forest. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, they were sitting near the edge of the camp, she had fallen asleep in his arms, he didn't mind, in fact it made him feel rather good. "I could get used to this!" he whispered to himself. Kagome moaned softly in her sleep, snuggling deeper into Inuyasha's chest. He smiled and held her close.
Inuyasha returned to the camp to find Sango telling what she had found. He quickly sat down behind Seven and listened in. "according to the scrolls I found and the histories back at my village there are five great dragons." She pulled an old scroll from her sleeve. "This shows the dragons and their names. Blood, Shade, Mist, Worm, and Tai." She opened the scroll, on it was a picture of Japan with five dragons flying over it. On the picture of the island there were five landmarks. "I think the marks show where the dragons stay, but I could be wrong." Seven took the scroll and examined it for a minute. "No this is right, I remember where Blood stayed." Sango nodded, "is that the soul you have in your chest?" he nodded and handed the map back to her.
"Then that is where we go first!" Kagome cried happily. "Then Seven will be safe." Seven nodded. "But that will not end the quest." Inuyasha leaned foreword. "What do you mean?" Seven pointed to the map. "We are going after more than one dragon." Sango nodded "to save Kohaku we need the soul of Mist the water dragon." Seven nodded. "That's not all, we could use the soul of Tai as well." Kagome frowned. "How could we use Tai's soul?" Sango pointed to Miroku. "Tai is a wind dragon, he could seal the air rip in Miroku's hand so he could use it without fear of it swallowing him alive." Miroku nodded. "That would be nice."
Seven stood "well then lets get going, it's a good days journey at least to reach blood." Kagome nodded and went to pack her things. Miroku went off into the trees and Rain followed Kagome and Sango. Seven hoisted his case and started after the monk. Inuyasha waited until the girls were ready and then led the way following the other two men. Once they were underway Kagome started to question Sango about their trip and the marriage. Sango told her about the innkeeper's daughter and the day after. Kagome couldn't believe Sango's description of Miroku's actions. When Sango came to the marriage she started to blush. Kagome smiled. "Its ok Sango, you don't have to finish." Sango smiled at her friend "thanks, I don't know what I was going to say next." She blushed deeper and glanced at Miroku who was walking with Inuyasha. Then her eyes traveled to Seven and Rain, they were walking ahead of Miroku and Inuyasha. "So Kagome, who is that girl?"
Kagome sighed. "It's a long story," then she went into the details of how she had been kidnapped, met Rain and been rescued. About Seven's fight with the spider Youkai and then Inuyasha. Sango nodded. "So who is she?" Kagome blinked. "What do you mean?" Sango stared at the girl. "There is something.odd about her, I don't know what, but." she shook her head. "Never mind, forget I said anything." Kagome nodded a puzzled look on her face.
Some time before sunset Seven stopped the group. "Lets camp here tonight, Blood's layer is close but it would be best to approach it daylight." Inuyasha nodded. "Whatever, you know this Youkai better than the rest of us." Seven nodded and started off the path. The rest followed as he led them to a small clearing on the edge of a cliff. Miroku and Inuyasha went for firewood and Seven dug a small firepit. The girls got the food and bedding ready. Soon they were all eating dinner around a cheery fire.
Miroku was the first to go to bed. He was followed by Sango who lay beside him. Inuyasha mumbled something to Seven and went off into the forest. Rain went to the edge of the firelight to sleep in a bush, Seven laid next to the fire with his back to the flames. "Where did Inuyasha go Seven?" Kagome asked. Seven rolled over to face her. "Oh he just went for a walk, he shouldn't be far." Then he returned to his previous position and mumbled a good night. Kagome sighed and stared into the fire. It seemed she never had a quiet moment these days. What with all the running around they had been doing.
Since Seven had come they had not found a single jewel shard and yet they were just as busy. The surprising thing was that Inuyasha had not objected to their side quest. Usually if there was any obstacle to finding jewel shards he would fight it tooth and claw. This time however he had almost encouraged the journey. Could something be wrong? Kagome stood. "If there is something wrong I'm gonna find out what it is." She set out in the direction he had gone.
The forest was quiet and calm; very few sounds penetrated the foliage. Kagome carefully walked between the trees, trying to follow Inuyasha's path, she had after all picked up a few tracking skills from the Hanyou. After a few minutes of walking she heard a grunting off to her left, she changed her course quietly and continued. The grunting repeated, and then again at regular intervals. She cautiously tip toed foreword the grunting getting louder, until, their in one of the trees ahead of her she saw Inuyasha. He was hanging from one of the branches with his left hand. His shirt was off and sweat covered his arms and back, in his right hand he held the transformed Tetsusaiga. He lifted himself to the branch and then lowered himself back down, grunting.
Kagome giggled. "Are you working out Inuyasha?" Inuyasha tried to turn midair and his grip on the tree snapped and he plummeted to the ground. He barely landed on his feet and stumbled back into the tree. "Damn it Kagome, don't sneak up on me like that!" he sheathed the sword and retrieved his shirt which had been hanging over a bush. "Sorry Inuyasha, Seven said you had gone for a walk." Inuyasha pulled his shirt on. "Him again, I told him to keep you at camp." Kagome smiled, "he did a lousy job then." He walked past her heading in the direction of the camp, when he was a few paces away he stopped. "Would you, like to go on a walk?" Kagome blinked in surprise. "Sure Inuyasha." She went to his side and they walked off into the night.
They walked side by side through the forest heading in the general direction of the camp. Soon they reached the edge of the cliff the camp was on; Inuyasha stopped and sat on the edge staring out over the landscape. Kagome sat next to him, careful to stay a few feet from the ledge. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Kagome remembered why she had gone looking for him. "Are you alright Inuyasha?" he turned giving her a confused look. "What do you mean by that?" she frowned. "Recently you have been acting, well, odd." He started but she held up a hand to silence him. "Just listen. Ever since Seven came you have been acting weird, every time I come near you, you act like, I don't know, nervous." She looked at him to gauge his reaction. He was staring hard at the ground. "I'm sorry." He barely whispered. Kagome smiled once again he was truly himself, none of the tough barrier he had built. "It's just that when Seven came, he confronted me with things that I had denied from myself for the longest time." He turned his body so he was facing Kagome. "He somehow broke all the walls I had built to protect myself and made me realize something that I should have seen and admitted years ago." He reached over and took Kagome's hands in his, "he made me realize that I see you as more than a friend, more than a shard detector, I value you more than anything I have ever known, and that scared me." His hands were shaking and he was struggling to keep his voice calm and steady, why did she have such a strong effect on him? "The truth is I," he laughed softly. "Well I love you." Kagome gasped and stared in disbelief at the Hanyou before her. He loved her? Inuyasha had a worried look on his face; Kagome wasn't having the reaction he was hoping for, only the one he had grown to expect, rejection. He frowned and stood. "I understand Kagome, I'm used to it. I'll just help you finish the quest safely and then let you go home." He started to walk away.
Kagome finally found her voice. "Inuyasha!" she called after him. She stood and ran after his retreating form. "Huh?" he turned and caught her as she flew into his arms, hugging him tightly. "I love you too Inuyasha!" now he had the surprised look on his face. He held Kagome lightly in his arms trying to figure out what to say, "so you don't want to leave me?" she looked up at him. "Of course not you idiot!" he smiled "good" he lowered his face to hers and kissed her softly on the lips. She kissed him back, pushing up against him. After a few moments they broke apart, still holding each other. Inuyasha stared down into her dark eyes, "when this is all over, can I go home with you?" Kagome frowned, "I thought you wanted to become a full Youkai." He smiled. "Cant a guy change his mind once and a while?" she smiled and hugged him again. "Please come." He lowered his head to hers and whispered softly in her ear. "Only for you."
The sun rose over the edge of the cliff throwing long shadows through the forest. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome, they were sitting near the edge of the camp, she had fallen asleep in his arms, he didn't mind, in fact it made him feel rather good. "I could get used to this!" he whispered to himself. Kagome moaned softly in her sleep, snuggling deeper into Inuyasha's chest. He smiled and held her close.