CHAPTER TEN
*
Kaede was sitting under a tree when Miroku passed by. He paused, shifting the bundle under his arm. "Priestess Kaede?" he asked.
"Just resting," Kaede said. "Not all of us have such young legs as ye and Kagome. How is Inuyasha? Has he been calmed?"
"He stopped when Kagome came in," Miroku said, as the old priestess walked beside him. "She won't leave his side now. But his delirium is getting worse. And he seems to be in more pain."
Kaede nodded absently. "I thought as much."
The clearing near the Bone-Eater's Well was unusually crowded. Sango was sitting on a log under a tree, with Kirara on her shoulder and her boomerang across her legs. A small bundle of red fur was at her feet; it took Miroku a moment to realize that it was Shippo.
"I've brought you some food," he said, seating himself beside Sango. "Your boomerang is quite well-shined."
"It should be," Sango said, accepting the bundle of food. "I've barely had anything else to do."
"Except burning that bear carcass."
Sango nodded. "Although we don't know how many demons may have been exposed to the Bloodfang in the hours it was there..."
"We can only hope."
Sango nibbled some dried meat. "How is Inuyasha?" she said hesitantly. "Is he any better?"
"No," Miroku said darkly. "He's getting worse, in fact. He can't stand any longer, he's coughing up blood, and he was delirious this morning. He thought that a nightmare was what actually happened. Only Kagome is a comfort to him."
Kirara scampered over to Kaede. The old priestess was gathering firewood, but paused long enough to stroke the demon cat's ears.
The demon-slayer pointed at the sleeping fox-demon. "Shippo's almost distraught. Myoga's not helping. He keeps talking about the Bloodfang and how no half-demon has ever survived it, which only makes Shippo more upset." Sango sighed. "How is Kagome faring?"
Miroku sighed. "Poorly. She's holding out hope that he can fight off the Bloodfang, but I can see in her eyes that she is afraid." He bowed his head slightly. "I feel for her."
Sango began polishing her boomerang again. "So even though he calls for Kagome, Inuyasha is supposed to be in love with this Kikyo woman?"
"I don't know about that. I don't have much experience with love... as an emotion," Miroku added hastily. "But it seems to me that love is more in actions than in the words. But then, I don't know much about what has transpired in the past. I wasn't around most of the time."
"This Kikyo must truly love him."
"Actually, unless I'm mistaken, she tried to kill him at least three times," Miroku said, smiling. "I don't really understand Inuyasha at times."
"Nor do I..." Sango said. A heavy look came into her eyes, one that Miroku recognized. It was when she thought of her father and brother, and what Naraku had done to destroy her past life. "Do you think Inuyasha will die?"
"I'm afraid that ... probably."
"It's strange. He seems so invulnerable most of the time..."
"He's not invulnerable. I've seen him badly wounded in battle, so badly that he needed days to recover. And Inuyasha told me... it was in confidence, but I don't think he would mind me telling you. He told me that on the one moonless night of every month, he becomes a human from sunset to sunrise. He keeps it a secret from nearly everyone." Miroku rested his chin on his hand.
"Do you think anything could cure him?"
"The only thing I can think of is his brother's sword. But even if we knew where he was, and could get to him in time, he wouldn't help us."
Kaede rose from the tree root where she had been sitting. Her one eye watched Miroku closely. "Miroku, it is time that we left. Kagome cannot care for Inuyasha alone for long."
"I'm coming." Miroku thought briefly about making a grab for Sango, but decided against it. She was still holding her boomerang.
Sunk in his thoughts, he followed the old woman through the forest.
*
"Kagome..."
Inuyasha's voice broke through Kagome's thoughts. She crept over to Inuyasha's side.
The half-demon looked dazed, but his eyes were clear. He was sweating again, and when she touched his hand, his skin was hot. "Kagome... how long... have I been asleep?" he said breathlessly.
"For a few hours, I think," Kagome said. She picked up the damp cloth and wiped his forehead. "You were freaking out this morning."
"I remember," Inuyasha said. He looked a little embarrassed. "I... didn't hurt you, did I?"
"Not too much. My ribs are a little sore." Kagome smoothed his long hair back. "How do you feel? Any better?"
"No... it's worse." Inuyasha swallowed hard. "I feel... there's a pain in my chest... I feel like... my heart's being split." He groaned and arched his back.
When the spasm had passed, Inuyasha watched Kagome for a little longer. "Kagome... do something for me?" he said.
Kagome wrung the cloth out. "Sure, what?"
"Stay with me... the pain... isn't so bad... when I know... you're here." He closed his eyes.
Thunder rumbled outside, and dark clouds rolled over the sun. Kagome left Inuyasha's side just long enough to let the screen roll down over the door, filling the room with darkness.
TO BE CONTINUED
*
Kaede was sitting under a tree when Miroku passed by. He paused, shifting the bundle under his arm. "Priestess Kaede?" he asked.
"Just resting," Kaede said. "Not all of us have such young legs as ye and Kagome. How is Inuyasha? Has he been calmed?"
"He stopped when Kagome came in," Miroku said, as the old priestess walked beside him. "She won't leave his side now. But his delirium is getting worse. And he seems to be in more pain."
Kaede nodded absently. "I thought as much."
The clearing near the Bone-Eater's Well was unusually crowded. Sango was sitting on a log under a tree, with Kirara on her shoulder and her boomerang across her legs. A small bundle of red fur was at her feet; it took Miroku a moment to realize that it was Shippo.
"I've brought you some food," he said, seating himself beside Sango. "Your boomerang is quite well-shined."
"It should be," Sango said, accepting the bundle of food. "I've barely had anything else to do."
"Except burning that bear carcass."
Sango nodded. "Although we don't know how many demons may have been exposed to the Bloodfang in the hours it was there..."
"We can only hope."
Sango nibbled some dried meat. "How is Inuyasha?" she said hesitantly. "Is he any better?"
"No," Miroku said darkly. "He's getting worse, in fact. He can't stand any longer, he's coughing up blood, and he was delirious this morning. He thought that a nightmare was what actually happened. Only Kagome is a comfort to him."
Kirara scampered over to Kaede. The old priestess was gathering firewood, but paused long enough to stroke the demon cat's ears.
The demon-slayer pointed at the sleeping fox-demon. "Shippo's almost distraught. Myoga's not helping. He keeps talking about the Bloodfang and how no half-demon has ever survived it, which only makes Shippo more upset." Sango sighed. "How is Kagome faring?"
Miroku sighed. "Poorly. She's holding out hope that he can fight off the Bloodfang, but I can see in her eyes that she is afraid." He bowed his head slightly. "I feel for her."
Sango began polishing her boomerang again. "So even though he calls for Kagome, Inuyasha is supposed to be in love with this Kikyo woman?"
"I don't know about that. I don't have much experience with love... as an emotion," Miroku added hastily. "But it seems to me that love is more in actions than in the words. But then, I don't know much about what has transpired in the past. I wasn't around most of the time."
"This Kikyo must truly love him."
"Actually, unless I'm mistaken, she tried to kill him at least three times," Miroku said, smiling. "I don't really understand Inuyasha at times."
"Nor do I..." Sango said. A heavy look came into her eyes, one that Miroku recognized. It was when she thought of her father and brother, and what Naraku had done to destroy her past life. "Do you think Inuyasha will die?"
"I'm afraid that ... probably."
"It's strange. He seems so invulnerable most of the time..."
"He's not invulnerable. I've seen him badly wounded in battle, so badly that he needed days to recover. And Inuyasha told me... it was in confidence, but I don't think he would mind me telling you. He told me that on the one moonless night of every month, he becomes a human from sunset to sunrise. He keeps it a secret from nearly everyone." Miroku rested his chin on his hand.
"Do you think anything could cure him?"
"The only thing I can think of is his brother's sword. But even if we knew where he was, and could get to him in time, he wouldn't help us."
Kaede rose from the tree root where she had been sitting. Her one eye watched Miroku closely. "Miroku, it is time that we left. Kagome cannot care for Inuyasha alone for long."
"I'm coming." Miroku thought briefly about making a grab for Sango, but decided against it. She was still holding her boomerang.
Sunk in his thoughts, he followed the old woman through the forest.
*
"Kagome..."
Inuyasha's voice broke through Kagome's thoughts. She crept over to Inuyasha's side.
The half-demon looked dazed, but his eyes were clear. He was sweating again, and when she touched his hand, his skin was hot. "Kagome... how long... have I been asleep?" he said breathlessly.
"For a few hours, I think," Kagome said. She picked up the damp cloth and wiped his forehead. "You were freaking out this morning."
"I remember," Inuyasha said. He looked a little embarrassed. "I... didn't hurt you, did I?"
"Not too much. My ribs are a little sore." Kagome smoothed his long hair back. "How do you feel? Any better?"
"No... it's worse." Inuyasha swallowed hard. "I feel... there's a pain in my chest... I feel like... my heart's being split." He groaned and arched his back.
When the spasm had passed, Inuyasha watched Kagome for a little longer. "Kagome... do something for me?" he said.
Kagome wrung the cloth out. "Sure, what?"
"Stay with me... the pain... isn't so bad... when I know... you're here." He closed his eyes.
Thunder rumbled outside, and dark clouds rolled over the sun. Kagome left Inuyasha's side just long enough to let the screen roll down over the door, filling the room with darkness.
TO BE CONTINUED