CHAPTER ONE
*
Kagome's foot slid on a slippery rock, and she almost fell into a ravine full of vines and sharp stones. The kettle dropped from her hand and bounced down. Gritting her teeth, she inched past the rocks and picked it up again.
I don't have time for this, she thought. It was getting dark out, and the forests near Kaede's village weren't that safe after dark. Especially without Inuyasha. Who was the other reason for hurrying; he got crabby when he was hungry, as Kagome knew from personal experience.
Now, where was the willow tree? Kagome scrambled over the ravine, almost slipping on the rocks.
Finally she came across the well. It was grown over with moss, and the wooden frame was sagging dangerously. It didn't look like it had been used for a very, very long time.
I hope this is safe, she thought, wrinkling her nose.
Kagome dipped the pot into the well. The water LOOKED clear. If worst came to worst, she could just dump the water and they would all fast until they came to Kaede's. She carefully fitted the lid on top, and turned to leave.
And froze. She could feel eyes watching her.
"Inuyasha?" she called.
A low growl came from the bushes.
"Kirara?" A quaver came into Kagome's voice. "Who is it?"
A blunt muzzle poked out of the bushes. A great paw crashed down on the grass, leaving a trail of blood.
Kagome dropped the pot and fumbled for her bow. The smell of blood was making her want to gag, but she didn't dare let it happen. "Inuyasha!" she shouted again. He wasn't that far away -- surely he could hear her calls for help...
The creature lumbered into sight. It was a bear -- a huge bear, with matted, stained fur and claws longer than Kagome's hands. It stared at her with mad eyes, as if it didn't know what she was.
"Don't come any closer!" Kagome nocked an arrow and aimed it between the bear's glowing eyes.
It didn't seem to notice the bow. Panting, it lurched toward her.
The arrow struck it in the ear, but it didn't seem to notice.
Kagome nocked another arrow, trying to keep her hands from shaking. What was wrong with this thing? The second arrow struck it in the eye; it roared in pain, clawing at its face. Then it swiped at her.
Kagome barely had time to step back, but the bear's swing was wild. Her bow snapped in half as she tumbled against a boulder. A long scratch ran down her leg.
"KAGOME!"
A blur of white and red descended from the trees. "Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted again. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine!" Kagome shouted. "Just scratched!"
Inuyasha turned to the bear and drew the Tetsusaiga. "Back off, beast," he growled.
"Inuyasha, be careful!" Kagome shouted. "I think it's gone nuts."
"No problem! I can handle something as big and dumb as this," Inuyasha said. He leaped up at the bear, slashing at its throat.
The bear roared again and batted at the half-demon. Inuyasha crashed to the ground, clutching at his shoulder. But he had slashed the beast's throat; it staggered, gurgling and coughing blood and trying to claw at Inuyasha. He jumped back, smirking. "Not so tough now, huh?" he shouted.
More blood gushed from the bear. It groaned once more and fell to the ground.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome said, limping toward him. "Are you all right?"
"Just a cut on my arm," Inuyasha said. "Nothing important."
Miroku and Sango burst out of the underbrush, somewhat out of breath. "A demon bear," Miroku said, startled.
"Hold still," Kagome said, wiping a few drops of the bear's blood from Inuyasha's face. "Is that unusual?"
"Very," Miroku said, approaching the enormous carcass. "They rarely attack like that. Could it have had a jewel shard, if it chose to fight for no reason?"
"No, it doesn't. I would have noticed immediately. Inuyasha, stop squirming."
Inuyasha grimaced. "Well, whatever was wrong with it, its problems are all over now." He flexed his arm. "No big deal, no serious harm done."
TO BE CONTINUED
*
Kagome's foot slid on a slippery rock, and she almost fell into a ravine full of vines and sharp stones. The kettle dropped from her hand and bounced down. Gritting her teeth, she inched past the rocks and picked it up again.
I don't have time for this, she thought. It was getting dark out, and the forests near Kaede's village weren't that safe after dark. Especially without Inuyasha. Who was the other reason for hurrying; he got crabby when he was hungry, as Kagome knew from personal experience.
Now, where was the willow tree? Kagome scrambled over the ravine, almost slipping on the rocks.
Finally she came across the well. It was grown over with moss, and the wooden frame was sagging dangerously. It didn't look like it had been used for a very, very long time.
I hope this is safe, she thought, wrinkling her nose.
Kagome dipped the pot into the well. The water LOOKED clear. If worst came to worst, she could just dump the water and they would all fast until they came to Kaede's. She carefully fitted the lid on top, and turned to leave.
And froze. She could feel eyes watching her.
"Inuyasha?" she called.
A low growl came from the bushes.
"Kirara?" A quaver came into Kagome's voice. "Who is it?"
A blunt muzzle poked out of the bushes. A great paw crashed down on the grass, leaving a trail of blood.
Kagome dropped the pot and fumbled for her bow. The smell of blood was making her want to gag, but she didn't dare let it happen. "Inuyasha!" she shouted again. He wasn't that far away -- surely he could hear her calls for help...
The creature lumbered into sight. It was a bear -- a huge bear, with matted, stained fur and claws longer than Kagome's hands. It stared at her with mad eyes, as if it didn't know what she was.
"Don't come any closer!" Kagome nocked an arrow and aimed it between the bear's glowing eyes.
It didn't seem to notice the bow. Panting, it lurched toward her.
The arrow struck it in the ear, but it didn't seem to notice.
Kagome nocked another arrow, trying to keep her hands from shaking. What was wrong with this thing? The second arrow struck it in the eye; it roared in pain, clawing at its face. Then it swiped at her.
Kagome barely had time to step back, but the bear's swing was wild. Her bow snapped in half as she tumbled against a boulder. A long scratch ran down her leg.
"KAGOME!"
A blur of white and red descended from the trees. "Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted again. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine!" Kagome shouted. "Just scratched!"
Inuyasha turned to the bear and drew the Tetsusaiga. "Back off, beast," he growled.
"Inuyasha, be careful!" Kagome shouted. "I think it's gone nuts."
"No problem! I can handle something as big and dumb as this," Inuyasha said. He leaped up at the bear, slashing at its throat.
The bear roared again and batted at the half-demon. Inuyasha crashed to the ground, clutching at his shoulder. But he had slashed the beast's throat; it staggered, gurgling and coughing blood and trying to claw at Inuyasha. He jumped back, smirking. "Not so tough now, huh?" he shouted.
More blood gushed from the bear. It groaned once more and fell to the ground.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome said, limping toward him. "Are you all right?"
"Just a cut on my arm," Inuyasha said. "Nothing important."
Miroku and Sango burst out of the underbrush, somewhat out of breath. "A demon bear," Miroku said, startled.
"Hold still," Kagome said, wiping a few drops of the bear's blood from Inuyasha's face. "Is that unusual?"
"Very," Miroku said, approaching the enormous carcass. "They rarely attack like that. Could it have had a jewel shard, if it chose to fight for no reason?"
"No, it doesn't. I would have noticed immediately. Inuyasha, stop squirming."
Inuyasha grimaced. "Well, whatever was wrong with it, its problems are all over now." He flexed his arm. "No big deal, no serious harm done."
TO BE CONTINUED