Chapter 4: Okay, Weird
Kirara arrives at the camp first and lets out a sigh that she has been holding in for awhile now. Soon everyone will join her. They aren't very far behind her and she can easily hear the uneasy silence that travels with them. Miroku is the first to speak when they reach the camp.
"It would be best to build a strong fire." He suggests.
"Do you think Naraku will attack again tonight?" Sango asks, knowing the pointlessness of her question. Everyone just shrugs except for Kirara who has already curled up by a nearby tree. Miroku finally gets the fire started and the light flickers around the campground. Sango sees Kirara curled by the tree and takes a blanket to her.
"It's kind of chilly tonight," she says smiling. "Here."
"Why? I have never used a blanket before." Kirara states. Sango frowns lightly but enough for Kirara to notice. "Gomen Sango-chan, we're still partners aren't we?" Kirara's question catches Sango off guard.
"Nani? Why do you ask something so strange?" Kirara looks up, very confused. "Of course we are. You are always there for me and I will always be there for you. I'll just have to do a lot more walking now." Sango smiles and laughs to herself. She leaves Kirara with the blanket and wishes her a goodnight. Kirara snuggles up in the blanket and surveys the camp with her eyes. Kagome lays with her eyes closed with an already-asleep shippo by her side. On the right side of the fire Miroku sleeps while sitting up in an on-guard position. He didn't usually sleep like that so Kirara figures it is because of the recent events that he is more alert. Sango is bedded down on the opposite side of the fire within a safe distance of the monk. Kirara is aware that Sango will use all precautions with him while she is trying to sleep. Inu Yasha sleeps upright against a tree that seems to be on the opposite side of camp than Kirara's tree. She doesn't take this to mind though.
Inu Yasha sits and recaps the day's events in his mind. He rests on the boundary between reality and unconsciousness. The part of his mind that remains awake senses the presence of someone close by. Gentle pressure on his arm and side gradually pulls him out of an unbalanced sleep. He looks down to see the black crown of a familiar young girl.
"Wh..what are you doing?!" Inu Yasha asks with an uncertain tone. He feels his cheeks grow hot. Kirara looks up with a dreamy gaze.
"What's wrong?" She asks. He quickly pulls himself away from her and sits, staring at her with a red face.
"What are you doing over here so late?!" He whispers huskily. Everyone else sleeps soundly without any signs of disturbance.
"I don't understand," Kirara says. She looks at him directly with an innocent face. " I always sleep by your side." Inu Yasha looks dumbfound. He thinks about it for a moment and realizes the truth in Kirara's words. When she was a little cat she almost always curled up near him unless she felt the need to stay with Sango. She would even sleep in his lap on some occasions. When he had been injured in battle she would stay in her saber-tooth form and curl up around him so he could sleep easier. She watched over him and protected him when he was weak.
He realizes that not only did she watch out for him at night but in battle too. She watched over everyone else while he fought so he could concentrate. It is true that she is Sango's loyal partner and follows Sango's orders to the fullest of her abilities, but she is also his guardian of sorts. He has never had a problem with this before but now it is different. Before she was a pet-like demon and now she is a beautiful young woman.
"B-but, you can't sleep near me now." He stutters. He nervously looks at the others and specifically looks at Kagome. He gulps. "It's always my luck that she'll wake up at the wrong moment and I'll get sat!" Kirara looks at Kagome and then Inu Yasha. She feels almost guilty but doesn't completely understand why. She had seen how Kagome reacts if Inu Yasha is with Kikyo or if he mentions her name. But it is different with her and InuYasha. She looks at her new body and determines that it is responsible for this.
"Wakarimasu," She whispers and stands up to return to her original sleeping place. "I wanted this body to get closer to him," she thinks to herself. "Now I am only pushing him away." She tries to muffle her sniffles in her blanket.
Again in the shadows, Naraku listens to Kirara's soft cries in his chamber. Her image fades on Kanna's mirror.
"So, Master," Kagura mocks from the doorway. "I thought you were going to manipulate their 'romance', but it looks as if you have destroyed it. Are you growing accustom to failure?" She cackles distastefully like Naraku usually does. He glares at her.
"Prehaps this Naraku should test his creation's skills in battle."
"I have been meaning to ask you." Kagura says coldly. "Are there more that one of you or are you trying to hold on to your identity because you are falling apart into so many more advanced demons. The third person thing is really juvenile." She gives him a twisted smile and turns to leave the room.
"Kagura," Naraku calls while a red orb forms in his palm. She stops but does not respond. " You need to learn some respect." He says and grips the orb. Kagura grabs at her heart and falls to the ground gasping for air. "I am your master after all."
"H-hai!" Kagura chokes out before collapsing completely.