Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha
Chapter 4
Aya leaned against a log a few feet away from the fire. She lay Rune across her chest, his small head resting upon her shoulder. He had fallen asleep rather quickly despite his rude awakening. Aya hummed a quiet lullaby as she rested her cheek against the soft black hair of Rune's head, his little cat-like ears twitching to the sound of her voice.
"That's a pretty song," squeaked Shippo sleepily, his eyes began to flutter shut to the soothing lullaby, "I think I have heard it before."
Aya smiled. "You probably have. It is a lullaby passed down generations of fox demons. My mother would sing it to me when I couldn't sleep. Perhaps your mother sang it to you."
"I don't remember, she died when I was little.".
"Oh, terrible to not have a mother."
"I'm okay, I've got people who care about me." A slight smile crossing Shippo's face, his thought turning to Kagome.
"I can see you are cared for," Aya answered knowingly, "Why don't you come lie by me and I will sing it to you," Aya raised her hand to Shippo as he walked cautiously to her side. She had him sit on her lap by the sleeping Rune, continuing with her fox lullaby. Soon Shippo accompanied Rune in slumber within the Aya's arms.
"You are very good when caring for children," Miroku remarked. He and Sango still remained awake, waiting for Kagome to return before sleeping once more.
"I have been a nurse for many children. Mostly all within the lord's royal family," replied Aya.
"Do you have any children of your own?" Miroku inquired, a slight smirk crossing his lips.
"No, I have none."
"May I ask you a question, Aya?" The smirk growing into a grin.
Before Miroku could ask Sango ended the conversation by using a piece of firewood and firmly connecting it to the back of Miroku's head. "Don't even try it Hoshi!" Sango's voice rattled in irritation.
"What was he going to try" Aya asked, watching a rather large lump form on top of the monk's head.
"Trust me, you don't want to know."
// // // // // //
Kagome stumbled between the trees, careful not to make any sudden movements in case the blade pressed against her throat might increase its pressure. Her captor still held onto to her by her hair, sending sharp pains ringing through her scalp each time the grip would tighten. She saw the approaching firelight and her breath quickened.
"Call out to them so they know we are here but don't sound alarmed. I don't wish for any unwanted panicking," whispered the stranger. Its voice like the scratching of nails upon glass.
"Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku!" Kagome obediently called as the emerged from the black curtain of trees into the small clearing of the camp.
Inuyasha jumped down from his perch in the tree, landing next to Sango and Miroku, jumping up from the place along the campfire. "Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed, "You fucking bastard, let her go!"
"Now, now, lets not be so hasty. I have come for the child," spoke the stranger, its voice eerily calm. Aya held Shippo and Rune close as she bent behind the log she had been resting against. Shielding the two children from the stranger's view.
"Why the hell would we give you the child! Let Kagome go!" Inuyasha growled. Kagome's captor pulled her hair back harder, exposing more of her vulnerable throat.
"I really don't like the tone of your voice!" remarked the stranger, its voice still calm.
"My tone! If you even scratch Kagome I will rip your heart out and feed it to you, you bastard!" Inuyasha pulled out tessiaga. Miroku and Sango readied themselves by his side.
"Hmmm, well, I don't like to spill the blood of women" the stranger took its blade away from Kagome's throat and flung her to the feet of her three companions. Inuyasha bent down, helping her to her feet.
"Are you all right? Did he hurt you?" Inuyasha's eyes never left the cloaked threat ahead of him.
"I'm fine," she replied, rubbing her throat in ease at the loss of the cold steel.
"Go and help Aya," Inuyasha motioned her to Aya, Kagome obediently ran to where she was crouched by the fire.
"Don't think I still won't take the child. If I have to use force then so be it," cried the stranger, its voice booming.
"Feh, it's a fight you want? Well, you came to the right guy!" Inuyasha bellowed as he brought the sword back ready to swipe. Inuyasha ran towards the stranger. When he came close enough he swung out tessiaga but to no avail. The stranger dodged the attack with a swift crouch and leaned away from its attacker, while tucking its dagger into its place beneath its cloak. When Inuyasha stepped forward, regaining his balance. He now stood even with his opponent. The stranger rotated in a half circle swinging a foot up and connecting its leg into the back of Inuyasha, knocking him face first into a tree. The stranger stood facing the back of Inuyasha. Inuyasha pushed himself away from the tree and swiped his claws across the chest of the stranger. Once more, his attack didn't connect as the stranger flipped backwards, hitting Inuyasha in the jaw with its feet. The stranger flipped back another time to expand the distance from its assailant.
Sango took this chance to threw her boomerang. The airborne giant flew towards the stranger. Hearing the boomerang on its flight through the air, the stranger sprawled itself flat out on the ground. The weapon glided over top of the cloaked nuisance and again as it returned back to its master who threw it. "Damn!" Sango growled.
"This is proving to be interesting. Two against one, now that's not fair" the stranger hissed as it spun to glare at Sango.
"Make that three!" Miroku yelled as he swung his staff at the stranger's torso. The stranger lunged away from Miroku, landing near the brush bordering the outline of the trees. The stranger dragged its black booted foot on the ground below it kicking up a six foot slender branch and caught the new found weapon holding it out protectively in front of it. The stranger held out its free hand and with a flick of its fingers, motioned Miroku to attack it.
Miroku ran towards him, taking another swing at his opponent. The stranger blocked it easily and countered Miroku's attack by swinging the bottom of its stick up. Miroku blocked this attack swiftly by moving his body to the side. They took a few more swings at each other, weapons clacking together in a unrhythmic beat. Miroku attempted to trip his opponent by swiping at his opponents feet. The stranger jumped up, escaping the sweep of Miroku's staff. Taking advantage of Miroku's attention to his attack, the stranger took its chance to connect the end of its stick with Miroku's shoulder, knocking him down. Miroku's fall caught him off guard and before he could cushion his fall his head knocked against the ground. Miroku fell unconscious.
Inuyasha took his turn at the black enemy. He took a strong swing at the stranger with tessiaga. The stranger crouched down, tessiaga barely grazing the top of the hooded head. The assailant reached behind itself, pulling out a sword from the darkness of its cloak. The sword was broad and thick produced from some foreign metal Inuyasha had never seen a sword to take form in. The stranger swung the sword up connecting with Inuyasha's sword in a loud clang. Inuyasha stepped back and took another swing at the dark enemy. Countering the attack, the stranger swung its sword downwards, pushing tessiaga away from its path for its torso. With a fierce growl, Inuyasha took another swing at his opponent, this time aiming to decapitate it with one strong blow. The stranger bent backward, bending at the knees until it was completely parallel with the ground.
The force of Inuyasha's blow passing, the stranger stood straight once more. The quickness of its movement caused the black hood to fall back exposing the identity of the stranger. Inuyasha glared into the face of the dark stranger. It's pure black eyes, glared back at him. Eyes so completely black, it looked as if night cloaked them, as if its very eyes were replaced with the darkest black obsidian stones. Its long hair as black as its eyes.
// // // // //
Kagome and Aya watched in horror at the ability of the attacker to fend of the strikes of Sango, Miroku, and even Inuyasha. They watched Inuyasha and the stranger as their blades danced, nearly catching hold of the flesh of the other. Kagome gasped as she saw the hood fall from the stranger, showing her the face of the aggressor. "Look at his eyes! I've never seen anything so black!" Kagome shrieked within a whisper, holding a frightened Shippo in her arms.
"What did you say? It has black eyes!" Aya brought her head up to see what Kagome described. Her eyes flew open. "Ryu! Ryu! It is me, Aya! Stop attacking! They are not enemies!" she cried, standing so the stranger could see her more clearly.
Kagome and Shippo looked at her in shock. She knew this person!
// // // // //
"Ryu!" The stranger turned its head to see a fox demon with a baby in its arms calling out, saying to stop. Obediently, the dark stranger lowered its weapon.
Seeing his opponent off guard, Inuyasha swung tessiaga. His blow connected into the stomach of his opponent, sending it into reeling into the nearest tree. The collision caused the tree to crack up its center and left the dark stranger laying on the ground beneath it.
"Ryu!" Aya screamed as she ran up to the crumpled form. Inuyasha stood in shock. Did Aya just run up to this stranger who he had been fighting, who had been attacking them, who wanted to take Rune, who dared hold a blade up to his Kagome's throat!
"What's going on, you know this bastard!" Inuyasha growled.
"Yes, this is Ryu, the warrior that was traveling with me," she replied. She turned the warrior over so she could see its face. "Ryu, I thought you were dead. Are you all right".
"I'm not dead," hissed the warrior, wincing in pain.
"You complete fool, why were you attacking us!" Concern running out of Aya's voice.
"I was rescuing you and Rune!"
"Rescuing me?! What makes you think I was in any situation that I needed to be rescued from?"
"Well, these guys kidnapped you didn't they?"
"No, this girl over there is the one we were seeking! I found her and now she is going to help us and Rune! Need it said a little simpler? She and the rest of these people are the good guys!"
"Oh, well that does explain a lot then doesn't it." the warrior, Ryu, replied matter of factly.
"I think it would have been obvious if you think about it you dolt! Gods! Always running into battle swinging whatever weapon you can find and never asking any questions or thinking things through! I swear if you weren't already hurt......................"
Kagome walked up to Inuyasha, who had a very confused look about him. "Well, I guess that's over with." Inuyasha looked down at a smiling Kagome. Her smile seemingly calming his anger and he appeared more at ease. He gave her a quick look over to make sure she was all right. "I told you, I'm okay, Inuyasha!" Kagome smiled watching Aya help Ryu to his feet.
"Sorry about that!" Ryu called over to where Sango was helping a very disorientated monk stand up.
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Chapter 5 is in the works. Read and Review! Thanks!---Sorascry
Chapter 4
Aya leaned against a log a few feet away from the fire. She lay Rune across her chest, his small head resting upon her shoulder. He had fallen asleep rather quickly despite his rude awakening. Aya hummed a quiet lullaby as she rested her cheek against the soft black hair of Rune's head, his little cat-like ears twitching to the sound of her voice.
"That's a pretty song," squeaked Shippo sleepily, his eyes began to flutter shut to the soothing lullaby, "I think I have heard it before."
Aya smiled. "You probably have. It is a lullaby passed down generations of fox demons. My mother would sing it to me when I couldn't sleep. Perhaps your mother sang it to you."
"I don't remember, she died when I was little.".
"Oh, terrible to not have a mother."
"I'm okay, I've got people who care about me." A slight smile crossing Shippo's face, his thought turning to Kagome.
"I can see you are cared for," Aya answered knowingly, "Why don't you come lie by me and I will sing it to you," Aya raised her hand to Shippo as he walked cautiously to her side. She had him sit on her lap by the sleeping Rune, continuing with her fox lullaby. Soon Shippo accompanied Rune in slumber within the Aya's arms.
"You are very good when caring for children," Miroku remarked. He and Sango still remained awake, waiting for Kagome to return before sleeping once more.
"I have been a nurse for many children. Mostly all within the lord's royal family," replied Aya.
"Do you have any children of your own?" Miroku inquired, a slight smirk crossing his lips.
"No, I have none."
"May I ask you a question, Aya?" The smirk growing into a grin.
Before Miroku could ask Sango ended the conversation by using a piece of firewood and firmly connecting it to the back of Miroku's head. "Don't even try it Hoshi!" Sango's voice rattled in irritation.
"What was he going to try" Aya asked, watching a rather large lump form on top of the monk's head.
"Trust me, you don't want to know."
// // // // // //
Kagome stumbled between the trees, careful not to make any sudden movements in case the blade pressed against her throat might increase its pressure. Her captor still held onto to her by her hair, sending sharp pains ringing through her scalp each time the grip would tighten. She saw the approaching firelight and her breath quickened.
"Call out to them so they know we are here but don't sound alarmed. I don't wish for any unwanted panicking," whispered the stranger. Its voice like the scratching of nails upon glass.
"Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku!" Kagome obediently called as the emerged from the black curtain of trees into the small clearing of the camp.
Inuyasha jumped down from his perch in the tree, landing next to Sango and Miroku, jumping up from the place along the campfire. "Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed, "You fucking bastard, let her go!"
"Now, now, lets not be so hasty. I have come for the child," spoke the stranger, its voice eerily calm. Aya held Shippo and Rune close as she bent behind the log she had been resting against. Shielding the two children from the stranger's view.
"Why the hell would we give you the child! Let Kagome go!" Inuyasha growled. Kagome's captor pulled her hair back harder, exposing more of her vulnerable throat.
"I really don't like the tone of your voice!" remarked the stranger, its voice still calm.
"My tone! If you even scratch Kagome I will rip your heart out and feed it to you, you bastard!" Inuyasha pulled out tessiaga. Miroku and Sango readied themselves by his side.
"Hmmm, well, I don't like to spill the blood of women" the stranger took its blade away from Kagome's throat and flung her to the feet of her three companions. Inuyasha bent down, helping her to her feet.
"Are you all right? Did he hurt you?" Inuyasha's eyes never left the cloaked threat ahead of him.
"I'm fine," she replied, rubbing her throat in ease at the loss of the cold steel.
"Go and help Aya," Inuyasha motioned her to Aya, Kagome obediently ran to where she was crouched by the fire.
"Don't think I still won't take the child. If I have to use force then so be it," cried the stranger, its voice booming.
"Feh, it's a fight you want? Well, you came to the right guy!" Inuyasha bellowed as he brought the sword back ready to swipe. Inuyasha ran towards the stranger. When he came close enough he swung out tessiaga but to no avail. The stranger dodged the attack with a swift crouch and leaned away from its attacker, while tucking its dagger into its place beneath its cloak. When Inuyasha stepped forward, regaining his balance. He now stood even with his opponent. The stranger rotated in a half circle swinging a foot up and connecting its leg into the back of Inuyasha, knocking him face first into a tree. The stranger stood facing the back of Inuyasha. Inuyasha pushed himself away from the tree and swiped his claws across the chest of the stranger. Once more, his attack didn't connect as the stranger flipped backwards, hitting Inuyasha in the jaw with its feet. The stranger flipped back another time to expand the distance from its assailant.
Sango took this chance to threw her boomerang. The airborne giant flew towards the stranger. Hearing the boomerang on its flight through the air, the stranger sprawled itself flat out on the ground. The weapon glided over top of the cloaked nuisance and again as it returned back to its master who threw it. "Damn!" Sango growled.
"This is proving to be interesting. Two against one, now that's not fair" the stranger hissed as it spun to glare at Sango.
"Make that three!" Miroku yelled as he swung his staff at the stranger's torso. The stranger lunged away from Miroku, landing near the brush bordering the outline of the trees. The stranger dragged its black booted foot on the ground below it kicking up a six foot slender branch and caught the new found weapon holding it out protectively in front of it. The stranger held out its free hand and with a flick of its fingers, motioned Miroku to attack it.
Miroku ran towards him, taking another swing at his opponent. The stranger blocked it easily and countered Miroku's attack by swinging the bottom of its stick up. Miroku blocked this attack swiftly by moving his body to the side. They took a few more swings at each other, weapons clacking together in a unrhythmic beat. Miroku attempted to trip his opponent by swiping at his opponents feet. The stranger jumped up, escaping the sweep of Miroku's staff. Taking advantage of Miroku's attention to his attack, the stranger took its chance to connect the end of its stick with Miroku's shoulder, knocking him down. Miroku's fall caught him off guard and before he could cushion his fall his head knocked against the ground. Miroku fell unconscious.
Inuyasha took his turn at the black enemy. He took a strong swing at the stranger with tessiaga. The stranger crouched down, tessiaga barely grazing the top of the hooded head. The assailant reached behind itself, pulling out a sword from the darkness of its cloak. The sword was broad and thick produced from some foreign metal Inuyasha had never seen a sword to take form in. The stranger swung the sword up connecting with Inuyasha's sword in a loud clang. Inuyasha stepped back and took another swing at the dark enemy. Countering the attack, the stranger swung its sword downwards, pushing tessiaga away from its path for its torso. With a fierce growl, Inuyasha took another swing at his opponent, this time aiming to decapitate it with one strong blow. The stranger bent backward, bending at the knees until it was completely parallel with the ground.
The force of Inuyasha's blow passing, the stranger stood straight once more. The quickness of its movement caused the black hood to fall back exposing the identity of the stranger. Inuyasha glared into the face of the dark stranger. It's pure black eyes, glared back at him. Eyes so completely black, it looked as if night cloaked them, as if its very eyes were replaced with the darkest black obsidian stones. Its long hair as black as its eyes.
// // // // //
Kagome and Aya watched in horror at the ability of the attacker to fend of the strikes of Sango, Miroku, and even Inuyasha. They watched Inuyasha and the stranger as their blades danced, nearly catching hold of the flesh of the other. Kagome gasped as she saw the hood fall from the stranger, showing her the face of the aggressor. "Look at his eyes! I've never seen anything so black!" Kagome shrieked within a whisper, holding a frightened Shippo in her arms.
"What did you say? It has black eyes!" Aya brought her head up to see what Kagome described. Her eyes flew open. "Ryu! Ryu! It is me, Aya! Stop attacking! They are not enemies!" she cried, standing so the stranger could see her more clearly.
Kagome and Shippo looked at her in shock. She knew this person!
// // // // //
"Ryu!" The stranger turned its head to see a fox demon with a baby in its arms calling out, saying to stop. Obediently, the dark stranger lowered its weapon.
Seeing his opponent off guard, Inuyasha swung tessiaga. His blow connected into the stomach of his opponent, sending it into reeling into the nearest tree. The collision caused the tree to crack up its center and left the dark stranger laying on the ground beneath it.
"Ryu!" Aya screamed as she ran up to the crumpled form. Inuyasha stood in shock. Did Aya just run up to this stranger who he had been fighting, who had been attacking them, who wanted to take Rune, who dared hold a blade up to his Kagome's throat!
"What's going on, you know this bastard!" Inuyasha growled.
"Yes, this is Ryu, the warrior that was traveling with me," she replied. She turned the warrior over so she could see its face. "Ryu, I thought you were dead. Are you all right".
"I'm not dead," hissed the warrior, wincing in pain.
"You complete fool, why were you attacking us!" Concern running out of Aya's voice.
"I was rescuing you and Rune!"
"Rescuing me?! What makes you think I was in any situation that I needed to be rescued from?"
"Well, these guys kidnapped you didn't they?"
"No, this girl over there is the one we were seeking! I found her and now she is going to help us and Rune! Need it said a little simpler? She and the rest of these people are the good guys!"
"Oh, well that does explain a lot then doesn't it." the warrior, Ryu, replied matter of factly.
"I think it would have been obvious if you think about it you dolt! Gods! Always running into battle swinging whatever weapon you can find and never asking any questions or thinking things through! I swear if you weren't already hurt......................"
Kagome walked up to Inuyasha, who had a very confused look about him. "Well, I guess that's over with." Inuyasha looked down at a smiling Kagome. Her smile seemingly calming his anger and he appeared more at ease. He gave her a quick look over to make sure she was all right. "I told you, I'm okay, Inuyasha!" Kagome smiled watching Aya help Ryu to his feet.
"Sorry about that!" Ryu called over to where Sango was helping a very disorientated monk stand up.
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Chapter 5 is in the works. Read and Review! Thanks!---Sorascry