My Strength is in You
Chapter 2
The firelight crackled, popping the wood that Sango and Kagome, with Inu-Yasha close at her heels, had gathered from around their resting spot, the scent of pine made the air thick and sweet. They were on the very border of the territory they had sought, two days of utter silence between the adults and nonstop chatter from Shippou.
But even the shadowy darkness along the borders . . . the scent that seemed to cloud over the wood smoke . . . made even the most active of fox kits a little uneasy and he too soon fell silent as the rest of his group. Sitting in Kagome's shadow, carefully eying the undergrowth, shivering in the cold breeze that whipped through the trees, causing the forest to hiss like a disturbed beast.
Kagome was tense, she held a stick into the flames, prodding the fire thoughtfully, clutching a brightly colored blanket tight around her shoulders.
Silent.
She could feel Inu-Yasha watching her out of the corner of his eyes, trying his best not to go noticed.
And even though the food was still fresh and their two day track had gone uneventful, there was still the ominous overpowering feeling of forbidding.
"So . . ." Miroku began slowly, testing the reaction of his comrades by the calm in his voice. "Tomorrow we enter this Oniyumbo's Territory."
It was more of a statement than a question.
Everyone knew the answer.
Tiki's voice twittered in each of their minds . . . but why was everyone so afraid then?
They had faced evil before . . . Sesshoumaru, Naraku . . . not very much could get more dangerous than that. Even a miasma . . .
And yet the birds warnings echoed in the night . . .
Kagome trembled slightly, more out of fear . . . wondering why exactly she had been so eager to help in the first place. Why so suddenly was she so afraid? Inu-Yasha was there . . . not much can get past him . . .
And still . . .
He was worried . . . she could tell . . .
The orange glow before her popped, scattering ashes across the moist earth. Though stew had been offered, not much was eaten of it by any of the group . . . even the ever hungry Shippou!
Tiki still spoke to them through the hissing of the forest . . . his words . . .
"What do you think we'll come across?" Kagome muttered, clutching her blanket tighter around her shoulders, avoiding the gaze of the others . . . especially Inu-Yasha . . .
"Why?" the hanyou snarled, as if he felt her avoiding his response. "You scared?"
"Well . . . that depends on how much you believe of that little bird." Miroku answered, completely pretending that Inu-Yasha had said nothing.
Sango frowned, stroking her boomerang. "I wonder how many jewel shards that demon has?"
"That doesn't matter!" Inu-Yasha clenched his fists, the fire highlighting his face. "No matter how many that thing has, we'll get him!"
For some reason, that made Kagome feel a little better, sighing, she leaned against a tree, staring up into the clear night sky framed by the dark canopy of the oak that sheltered them. Her stomach was tight and unrelenting with anxiety . . . for a flicker of a moment, she Sensed a jewel shard . . . she bolted straight up . . .
No . . . three jewel shards . . .
But, they disappeared as quickly as she felt them . . .
Inu-Yasha glared at her angrily. "What now? You frightened?"
"No." she whispered, exasperated. "Just thought . . . just thought . . . oh, nevermind."
"What? Just spit it out!"
"No!" she promptly leaned back up against the tree trunk, pulling her blanket over her head and closed her eyes. "I'm fine."
But she could feel Inu-Yasha glaring at her . . . completely unconvinced.
*********
"My Lord, Oniyumbo." A voice squeaked into the pitch of a forlorn castle high atop the highest point in the lands, reaching the clouds to peer across the openness of the earth. "There are trespassers looking to find a way into your kingd . . ."
"I KNOW." A voice like the rumble of the darkest part of the earth interrupted dangerously.
"W . . . what shall we do?" a tiny, tortured rat-demon clutching his tattered garments, with a face scarred and shattered, scrambled across the stone floor. Blood trailed from the wounds on his knees as he struggled to please his master. "What shall Quitta do for you, my Lord? Anything he desires . . ."
"YOU WILL SILENCE YOUR INTOLERABLE TONGUE AND STOP THOSE WHO SEEK TO DESTROY ME." There was a pause, angry breaths mounting from the shadows of a far corner seething in darkness. "AND IF YOU SHOULD FAIL, SLAVE, THEN I SHALL KILL YOU SO SLOWLY YOUR SOUL WILL PASS FROM YOUR BODY LONG BEFORE YOU ARE DEAD."
The demon threw himself against the cold ground, tears flowing from his bloodshot eyes. "As you wish, my Lord! I will do as you . . ."
"GO! AND DO NOT FAIL ME, SLAVE, FOR IF I MUST REMOVE MYSELF FROM MY THRONE TO DEAL WITH PATHETIC CREATURES SUCH AS THOSE WHO DARE DREAM OF THREATENING ME THEN THE ENTIRE KINGDOM SHALL SUFFER FOR YOUR INEQUITIES AND THUS YOUR BLOOD BE CURSED! NOW, GO. AND DO NOT FAIL ME!"
*** HI – Please review! Please – I hope you guys like it so far!!!! I already started writing the next chapter b/c I was gonna put this next part into this chapter but . . . it needed it's own chapter :O)!!!! Please read and review!!!!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!! PLEASE!!!! Let me know if you really like it or not! Please!