The Horrid Cries of the Nothing Woman
Chapter Seven
Sheya sat quietly upon the stoop of the strange hut, the wounds across her body were bandaged and throbbed anxiously . . . but she didn't care. Her dark brown hair was now clean and free of blood as she watched the sky blush with the coming sunset, the wind rustled through the locks as they fluttered against her back. Finally she was in a clean kimono, simple clothing that flattered her slender figure . . . but she didn't care. She watched a flock of birds tear through the coming night . . .
But she didn't care . . .
In trembling hands she still clutched the bloodied, torn rags she had been found with. She refused to let them go. Refused to let anyone take them from her, even near death she would not release her grip.
She would not release all she had left of Adahan . . .
Her child . . .
Tears pooled in her sad eyes as she thought of him. His smile. His warmth. His innocence before that monster . . . that thing had slain him . . .
"How old was he?" an abrupt voice questioned.
Sheya did not look up, she didn't care who spoke to her, even though she already knew which stranger it was. "Three."
Inu-Yasha crossed his arms in front of his chest and quietly peered out in the same direction. "That thing killed him then?"
She nodded.
"You seem kind of young to have a kid, don't you think?"
She frowned. "He was all I had."
The hanyou looked down at her upon hearing the overwhelming despair in her voice. Never had he known the love of an offspring that was his own, but he could understand . . . or at least try to. The blood from the cloth was very strong . . . he had been a healthy child. He made no move. "It'll be alright, you know"
She didn't answer, only sobbed in her hands.
Panic began to grow in Inu-Yasha's heart as he realized that what he had said upset her . . . but he was never very good at heart to hearts. He truthfully didn't know what it felt like to have a son . . . and then lose him . . .
His first instincts were to turn his back and leave Sheya there crying by herself, lonely and forgotten . . . but he couldn't bring himself to doing it. Tenderly he placed a hand on her shoulder and frowned. "Whatever that Athema thing is, Sheya . . . we'll stop it."
For a moment, the woman stopped crying. "It's unstoppable . . . I couldn't stop it myself . . . the men from my village couldn't stop it . . . no one can stop it . . ."
The night grew darker as the conversation ceased for a saddened pause. Inu-Yasha began to grow apprehensive, his change was coming . . . he could feel it in his bones . . .
He had to leave . . .
He had to hide from the village until he was absolutely needed . . .
But . . . Kagome . . .
Kagome would need him. She rested then, but she would need him when she awakened from her healing sleep . . .
He would be there for her, he promised . . . if she called for him . . .
Inu-Yasha wordlessly turned away from the west towards his favorite tree to spend the night as human . . .
But something tugged at his kimono . . .
Inu-Yasha looked down to find Sheya pale and frightened, gripping him as she stared into the forest . . .
"What is it?" he asked her.
Kagome sat up in her corner of the hut. She was cold . . . frozen and chilled to the bone . . . she felt something approach . . .
Something coming . . .
The same thing she felt before . . .
The night was upon them . . . she felt eyes upon her . . .
Sensing her . . .
Feeling her . . .
Sango rushed to the young Miko's side with great worry. "Are you okay, Kagome?"
She didn't answer right away. "Sheya . . ." she whimpered. "Where is she?"
"Outside with Inu-Yasha. Are you okay?"
"The Athema . . ." Kagome trembled. "It's here . . ."
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