CHAPTER NINE
*
Inuyasha's body weighed heavily on Kagome's back; he felt almost like he was dead, cold and completely still. Only his breath in Kagome's ear showed that he was still alive, and determined to stay that way. Kagome, however, wasn't sure if SHE was going to make it. She could barely put one foot in front of the other, and her back felt like it was splintering under Inuyasha's weight. "How do you DO this all the time?" she panted.
"You're a lot lighter... to me... than I am to you," Inuyasha mumbled. He sounded groggy. "Specially when I'm a demon..."
"Must be," Kagome whispered, stumbling down a small incline. Even half-dragging Inuyasha was hurting her. And she was going so SLOWLY. At the rate she was going, she might as well have stayed in the clearing. The snake could easily overcome them at this rate.
Then she saw something in a rock face -- a cave. It was almost covered by a thick, matted curtain of vines, weeds and dead branches. It wasn't a big cave, and it wouldn't keep out the snake demon if it found them, but at least it was a hiding place. Somewhere Inuyasha could recover...
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered excitedly. "I think I found someplace for us to hide... until morning comes..."
He didn't answer. The breathing in her ear was shallower now.
Summoning the remainder of her strength, Kagome heaved Inuyasha over to the entrance of the cave, and kicked open the weedy barrier. She stumbled a few more steps, then let him slide off her shoulder to the ground.
As Kagome touched Inuyasha's chest, she felt something hard and round inside his clothes, close to his belt. It was her flashlight. She carefully worked her hand inside his shirt and pulled out the flashlight. It was a little scuffed, but it still worked. After setting it in a rock crevice, Kagome switched it on and positioned it so it lit up the cave. It was a feeble light, but it worked.
Inuyasha was unconscious, with his head turned toward her. Kagome touched his still face and whispered his name. But he didn't wake up. His breathing was steady; the venom had probably just knocked him out. At least, Kagome prayed that was all it was.
He looks so peaceful when he sleeps, she thought. Like he doesn't have a care in the world. She smoothed his rumpled dark hair away from his face. He really didn't look too different when he transformed. Sure, his hair and ears and eyes all changed, but the lines of his face and his body, his voice and most of all, his personality all stayed the same. In a pinch, she almost forgot that he looked different.
If someone stumbled onto us here, they'd probably think we were a pair of lovers on a secret tryst, Kagome thought, curling up at his side. Since it isn't raining or snowing, we should be safe if the snake doesn't find us...
She rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder, and worked her arm under his head. No reason for him to use rocks as a pillow, she thought.
*
Kagome had intended to stay awake until the sun rose, or Inuyasha fought off the venom. But at a faint rustling sound, suddenly she found herself blearily blinking. Her head was cradled on Inuyasha's shoulder, and her hand was still clutching the Tetsusaiga.
"I'm such an idiot," she whispered, sitting up. "We could've both been eaten when I was sleeping!"
She pressed her hand against Inuyasha's. His skin was still cold, and his breathing shallow. When she whispered his name, he didn't respond at all. Then the rustling began again.
A hand touched the tangle of weeds and parted it.
"Who's there?" Kagome shouted, hoping she sounded brave.
Then she gasped. Only a little light shone on the woman standing there. She looked a little older, with long dark hair and the red and white clothing of a priestess. And though her face was in shadow, Kagome knew it as well as her own. It might as well have been her own.
"Kikyo," Kagome whispered.
TO BE CONTINUED
*
Inuyasha's body weighed heavily on Kagome's back; he felt almost like he was dead, cold and completely still. Only his breath in Kagome's ear showed that he was still alive, and determined to stay that way. Kagome, however, wasn't sure if SHE was going to make it. She could barely put one foot in front of the other, and her back felt like it was splintering under Inuyasha's weight. "How do you DO this all the time?" she panted.
"You're a lot lighter... to me... than I am to you," Inuyasha mumbled. He sounded groggy. "Specially when I'm a demon..."
"Must be," Kagome whispered, stumbling down a small incline. Even half-dragging Inuyasha was hurting her. And she was going so SLOWLY. At the rate she was going, she might as well have stayed in the clearing. The snake could easily overcome them at this rate.
Then she saw something in a rock face -- a cave. It was almost covered by a thick, matted curtain of vines, weeds and dead branches. It wasn't a big cave, and it wouldn't keep out the snake demon if it found them, but at least it was a hiding place. Somewhere Inuyasha could recover...
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered excitedly. "I think I found someplace for us to hide... until morning comes..."
He didn't answer. The breathing in her ear was shallower now.
Summoning the remainder of her strength, Kagome heaved Inuyasha over to the entrance of the cave, and kicked open the weedy barrier. She stumbled a few more steps, then let him slide off her shoulder to the ground.
As Kagome touched Inuyasha's chest, she felt something hard and round inside his clothes, close to his belt. It was her flashlight. She carefully worked her hand inside his shirt and pulled out the flashlight. It was a little scuffed, but it still worked. After setting it in a rock crevice, Kagome switched it on and positioned it so it lit up the cave. It was a feeble light, but it worked.
Inuyasha was unconscious, with his head turned toward her. Kagome touched his still face and whispered his name. But he didn't wake up. His breathing was steady; the venom had probably just knocked him out. At least, Kagome prayed that was all it was.
He looks so peaceful when he sleeps, she thought. Like he doesn't have a care in the world. She smoothed his rumpled dark hair away from his face. He really didn't look too different when he transformed. Sure, his hair and ears and eyes all changed, but the lines of his face and his body, his voice and most of all, his personality all stayed the same. In a pinch, she almost forgot that he looked different.
If someone stumbled onto us here, they'd probably think we were a pair of lovers on a secret tryst, Kagome thought, curling up at his side. Since it isn't raining or snowing, we should be safe if the snake doesn't find us...
She rested her head on Inuyasha's shoulder, and worked her arm under his head. No reason for him to use rocks as a pillow, she thought.
*
Kagome had intended to stay awake until the sun rose, or Inuyasha fought off the venom. But at a faint rustling sound, suddenly she found herself blearily blinking. Her head was cradled on Inuyasha's shoulder, and her hand was still clutching the Tetsusaiga.
"I'm such an idiot," she whispered, sitting up. "We could've both been eaten when I was sleeping!"
She pressed her hand against Inuyasha's. His skin was still cold, and his breathing shallow. When she whispered his name, he didn't respond at all. Then the rustling began again.
A hand touched the tangle of weeds and parted it.
"Who's there?" Kagome shouted, hoping she sounded brave.
Then she gasped. Only a little light shone on the woman standing there. She looked a little older, with long dark hair and the red and white clothing of a priestess. And though her face was in shadow, Kagome knew it as well as her own. It might as well have been her own.
"Kikyo," Kagome whispered.
TO BE CONTINUED
