CHAPTER TWENTY

*

A blast of cold air hit Kagome's face like a wave. She flinched and moved behind Inuyasha, who stood his ground with the Tetsusaiga in his hand. "So you're the one who's frosted over this whole mountain!" he shouted. "Pretty cheap trick."

The whirling snow-demon howled in indignation. "It is mine. The mountain is MINE. Mine only." The air seemed to grow colder. "Go away now, or be frozen."

"Feh. Like I'm going to crawl away because of an overgrown snowflake," Inuyasha snorted. He started to raise Tetsusaiga over his head, but Kagome caught his wrist. "That might not be a good idea," she whispered.

"Let GO!"

"We're in a cave, dummy!" Kagome said, tugging on his arm. "You could end up crushing us both!"

Inuyasha reconsidered, slowly lowering it. "So, I guess I'll have to do this the hard way," he said with a slight smile.

Another keening howl came from the snow demon. Kagome blinked as a blast of snow hit her and Inuyasha both in the face. Inuyasha's golden eyes narrowed, but he didn't look away. With his free hand, he grabbed Kagome's wrist and pulled her behind his body. She peered under his arm at the eyes in the swirling mass of snow.

"So what's the deal, demon?" Inuyasha said, grimacing. "Why'd you snow over this mountain and kill the travellers, and try to kill Kagome and me?"

"I have lived here always," the snow demon retorted. The faint purple glint grew brighter; Inuyasha's eyes widened as he saw it. "This mountain is my home, and for long years I hid deep inside it when the warmth came and the snow melted from all but the peak. I did not have the strength to keep it cold, nor could I keep the humans from intruding...

"Then, I came across a shard of the Shikon jewel shining in the show. With its power, I could spread the cold over my mountain, and rise out of hiding to destroy the humans who trespassed in my lands. Now begone, or I will freeze you both and leave you to be covered over by the snow."

The jewel shard, Kagome thought, watching the purple glow spreading through the snow. I wasn't just seeing its glow in the storm -- I was seeing a reflection of its power. The snow demon doesn't have a body, so...

"I don't know how tough you are," Inuyasha said, resting the Tetsusaiga on his shoulder. "But it's time for a thaw!"

He leaped forward, swinging the Tetsusaiga at the eyes in the middle of the demon's whirling body. But as the blade brushed by the jewel shard, a white stream lashed out and wrapped itself around Inuyasha's wrists. He grunted in surprise; it was ice, locking his hands to the blade. "You're gonna have to do better'n that," he said darkly, as the ice began to crack.

"SILENCE!" the demon screeched. Kagome covered her ears, wincing. "Go away!"

"Not until you hand over that jewel shard!" Inuyasha snarled.

"Never!" With that, the demon sent a round of shining, sharp objects darting toward Inuyasha. Inuyasha smashed the icicles in mid-air, growling softly. This ain't gonna be easy, he thought.

*

"Did you hear that?" Sango asked, pausing.

Miroku started to answer, but Sango held up her hand. "Wait," she whispered. "Listen."

At first, Miroku couldn't hear anything except the dripping of water from somewhere nearby. Something scuttled under a rock. Then he heard a familiar voice, shouting out-

"Inuyasha!" Shippo squealed.

"Be careful!" Miroku said, gripping his staff like a spear. "You were tricked by a voice once before, Shippo. This may be another deception. Follow me, and be prepared to run..." But in case it isn't, he thought, I better have these ready. He reached behind him, to Kagome's backpack. Her quiver and bow were tied to it.

TO BE CONTINUED