CHAPTER THREE
*
Inuyasha sat up sharply, his fingers digging into the tree bark. "Kagome..." he whispered.
He had heard her screaming, somewhere in the distance. But he didn't know how far she was. Or what might have attacked her in the dark woods -- on this one night of all nights. He stood up on the branch, straining to hear any more cries. He wanted to leap off the branch to find her, but he knew it would be useless to jump.
I can't smell her, hear her, he thought in frustration. Dammit... Kagome, I'm coming!
He slithered down the tree trunk, landing on a soft bed of moss. Inuyasha steeled himself for what lay ahead, and ran into the forest.
*
Kagome landed heavily on the ground as the creature released her from its jaws. "Ow!" she squeaked, trying to reach up to the lump on her head, the stinging marks on her throat.
But her hand barely obeyed her. Kagome's arm trembled with effort as she raised it; her fingers were stiff and nerveless. And that weird numbness was creeping through her body, as if ice water was replacing her blood. She managed to half-pull herself into a sitting position, clinging to a tree branch.... right before her arms failed her and let her fall back to the ground.
I'm... I'm paralyzed, Kagome thought, growing more frightened with every moment. What is this thing planning to do to me?
"Having some trouble moving, pretty one?" a wheezy voice said slyly.
Kagome's eyes widened as a robed figure came into view. Though it looked kind of lumpy from the back, it moved quickly in little sideways darts. She felt her breath freeze in her throat as it turned toward her. Its scaly, pointed head rose up at the end of a very long, very twisting neck -- like a snake's neck. Except it seemed to have arms and legs... okay, they were pretty sad-looking, heavy and a little twisted, but they looked strong and the fingers were clawed.
"I didn't give you enough venom to paralyze your breathing, little fool," the snake demon hissed. "Just enough to keep you from struggling. Had I wanted to eat you, I would have already does it -- although the sight of helpless prey does make me hunger. But I need you alive and in one piece. For the time being, that is."
Kagome started trembling, as she struggled to sit up. But her body wouldn't obey her. I'm in so much trouble, she thought. Inuyasha, I could really use your help now...
The snake flicked his tongue between his scaled lips. "After all, what good is bait if the bait dies?" he asked rhetorically.
Who am I kidding? Kagome thought despairingly. He probably doesn't even know I'm in trouble. Normally he could smell or hear something, but tonight he's a human.
"Now, we shall be off."
She winced as the snake opened his yawning mouth, with its dripping fangs. But to her surprise, the snake just bent down and closed its mouth around her waist. Then it straightened effortlessly, with the girl hanging down like a rag doll.
Now I wouldn't struggle even if I could, Kagome thought. Oh man, I am in so much trouble...
*
Inuyasha could barely restrain his own frustration as he raced past the trees, his bare feet flying over the grass. He knew that by human standards, he was already running fast. By demon standards, he was CRAWLING. He still hadn't crossed the forest to where he had heard Kagome's shriek...
If anything's happened to Kagome... he thought desperately.
Inuyasha stopped and leaned against a tree, gasping for breath. He thought for a moment about going to Kaede's village to get help. No, he thought, grimacing. None of those humans could go any faster, and I'd just lose time finding Kagome. To make it worse, I don't even know where I'm going. I just have to keep looking around the woods until I find them... humans and their stupid useless noses! This is why I hate becoming human.
He gripped the Tetsusaiga's hilt. It wouldn't transform for him until sunrise. Right now, it just looked like a nicked, dull, threadbare sword that had seen better days. But it was all the defense he had, and he might have to make use of it for Kagome's sake.
"I'm going to find you, Kagome," he muttered as he ran down the river, looking for her. "And if whatever has you has done anything, I'll strangle him with his own guts..."
TO BE CONTINUED
*
Inuyasha sat up sharply, his fingers digging into the tree bark. "Kagome..." he whispered.
He had heard her screaming, somewhere in the distance. But he didn't know how far she was. Or what might have attacked her in the dark woods -- on this one night of all nights. He stood up on the branch, straining to hear any more cries. He wanted to leap off the branch to find her, but he knew it would be useless to jump.
I can't smell her, hear her, he thought in frustration. Dammit... Kagome, I'm coming!
He slithered down the tree trunk, landing on a soft bed of moss. Inuyasha steeled himself for what lay ahead, and ran into the forest.
*
Kagome landed heavily on the ground as the creature released her from its jaws. "Ow!" she squeaked, trying to reach up to the lump on her head, the stinging marks on her throat.
But her hand barely obeyed her. Kagome's arm trembled with effort as she raised it; her fingers were stiff and nerveless. And that weird numbness was creeping through her body, as if ice water was replacing her blood. She managed to half-pull herself into a sitting position, clinging to a tree branch.... right before her arms failed her and let her fall back to the ground.
I'm... I'm paralyzed, Kagome thought, growing more frightened with every moment. What is this thing planning to do to me?
"Having some trouble moving, pretty one?" a wheezy voice said slyly.
Kagome's eyes widened as a robed figure came into view. Though it looked kind of lumpy from the back, it moved quickly in little sideways darts. She felt her breath freeze in her throat as it turned toward her. Its scaly, pointed head rose up at the end of a very long, very twisting neck -- like a snake's neck. Except it seemed to have arms and legs... okay, they were pretty sad-looking, heavy and a little twisted, but they looked strong and the fingers were clawed.
"I didn't give you enough venom to paralyze your breathing, little fool," the snake demon hissed. "Just enough to keep you from struggling. Had I wanted to eat you, I would have already does it -- although the sight of helpless prey does make me hunger. But I need you alive and in one piece. For the time being, that is."
Kagome started trembling, as she struggled to sit up. But her body wouldn't obey her. I'm in so much trouble, she thought. Inuyasha, I could really use your help now...
The snake flicked his tongue between his scaled lips. "After all, what good is bait if the bait dies?" he asked rhetorically.
Who am I kidding? Kagome thought despairingly. He probably doesn't even know I'm in trouble. Normally he could smell or hear something, but tonight he's a human.
"Now, we shall be off."
She winced as the snake opened his yawning mouth, with its dripping fangs. But to her surprise, the snake just bent down and closed its mouth around her waist. Then it straightened effortlessly, with the girl hanging down like a rag doll.
Now I wouldn't struggle even if I could, Kagome thought. Oh man, I am in so much trouble...
*
Inuyasha could barely restrain his own frustration as he raced past the trees, his bare feet flying over the grass. He knew that by human standards, he was already running fast. By demon standards, he was CRAWLING. He still hadn't crossed the forest to where he had heard Kagome's shriek...
If anything's happened to Kagome... he thought desperately.
Inuyasha stopped and leaned against a tree, gasping for breath. He thought for a moment about going to Kaede's village to get help. No, he thought, grimacing. None of those humans could go any faster, and I'd just lose time finding Kagome. To make it worse, I don't even know where I'm going. I just have to keep looking around the woods until I find them... humans and their stupid useless noses! This is why I hate becoming human.
He gripped the Tetsusaiga's hilt. It wouldn't transform for him until sunrise. Right now, it just looked like a nicked, dull, threadbare sword that had seen better days. But it was all the defense he had, and he might have to make use of it for Kagome's sake.
"I'm going to find you, Kagome," he muttered as he ran down the river, looking for her. "And if whatever has you has done anything, I'll strangle him with his own guts..."
TO BE CONTINUED
