The Scent of Despair
Written by Catrina Winner
Author's Notes: Look at all… the reviews… Well, then, for all you who like this story, I give to you… another chapter!! TADA!!! (Hopefully longer than the others have been.)
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Chapter Three
The rain fell harder, slashing across the path. In his flight, Inuyasha's foot caught in a slick hole and he went down, falling face forward into the mud. Kagome's body rolled away from him, sinking deep into the sludge of the ruined pathway to the village.
Inuyasha pushed himself up, sputtering. His darkened eyes searched for the ill-fated girl. She was half submerged in the murky puddles that populated the trail. He bent towards the limp figure and lifted her in his arms. His robe was soaked and felt heavier then before. Kagome didn't stir in the slightest. Worry hung over Inuyasha's features as he hugged the precious bundle to his chest and continued on down the dampened path.
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The next morning dawned coldly. Water dripped from the leaves of tall, proud trees and the mist was back, clinging to everything. It floated lazily about, a soupy white, blocking all eyesight for more then a few feet.
Inuyasha was half dead from exhaustion. All night he had battled through the murky darkness and torrential rains. Several areas of the path had flooded over, and he was constantly discovering himself sinking to his knees in the murk.
He staggered again, but caught himself before he fell completely. Even a hanyou like Inuyasha disliked storms such as these. His ears twitched and he was sure they were filled with water. His nose was overpowered by the thick scent of the washed-out forest, blocking everything else. He was unable to smell any other demons. Shaking his head, trying to get the water from his ears, Inuyasha frowned. If a demon chose to attack them, even though it was very unlikely anything would travel in such unpredictable weather, he would have no idea of impending danger until it was upon the two of them. All his limbs ached and his mind was filled with horrendous thoughts of demons, his entire body crying out for rest. Not one to be persuaded easily, even by his own pained mind, Inuyasha continued doggedly on through the muck.
Just after the sun had skipped over high noon, he finally stumbled upon solid ground. He collapsed, his breath coming hard, unable to support himself any longer. He did not move for a few seconds, trying to regain strength. Heaving himself up to a sitting position, Inuyasha carefully reached over to Kagome, lying curled on the hard dirt, and removed his robe from her body, momentarily perplexed at the tangle it had twisted into.
Kagome was still a deathly pale and her breathing was shallow, but she appeared to be better then back under the cliff where she had first passed into unconsciousness. Her skin had become a more human-like color, its blue hue gone and replaced by a shocking white. Her hair was wet and stuck to her face, and her clothing clung damply to her. Luckily, his robe had kept the mud from seeping through and she was no more unkempt then she had been before he had set out on this wretched mission to save her life. It was almost absurd.
The day stretched on and Inuyasha summoned his remaining energy to prepare for the night ahead, as it was obvious he could no longer go on without rest. Fighting against rain and sharp winds all afternoon and through the night was tiring.
Slowly, painstakingly, he tested the ground around their improvised camp area. By a stroke of luck, Inuyasha discovered a small cave only a short walk from where he had left Kagome. Scooping her up yet again, he staggered the distance and laid her down just inside the cavern's mouth. Then he turned back outside to the soaked undergrowth and began the menial task of collecting dry kindling and wood for a fire. It took him the better part of an hour, but he finally found a bit that would have to do.
It was about this time that Inuyasha realized that not only had he barely enough wood for a meager fire and a very sick girl on his hands, but he also had no food. He sorely regretted leaving Kagome's pack behind with the others, for she always had food stored away within it.
Shoving a pile of leaves together, some damp, some dry, he poked sticks around and began the makings of a fire. The water was drying from him as the sun burned it away, though the moist mist stayed.
The clouds had parted just after the sun had heralded the morning times. No more rain would fall on that day, or so Inuyasha hoped. It took him several more uneventful moments of battling with the kindling before a delicate flame flickered to life. He used his own body to shield the baby flame, eyes watering from the smoke.
Inuyasha continued to feed his newfound joy, and it was soon crackling cheerily in the dying light. Being half-demon, he knew very well he could go without food for a few days when it was necessary. Uncomfortable as it was, sometimes there was no way to avoid it. He wouldn't mind hunting for his meals, but the fact that Kagome was still unconscious and defenseless would keep him by her side.
The last ray of sunlight filtered through the tree boughs, flickered, and was gone. Inuyasha looked over at Kagome, his face holding unbridled affection for the girl, as she was not awake to view it.
The firelight played across her features, casting shadows and making her look older… tired… She was much drier thanks to the sun and his fire.
Kagome… he thought, why? His mind flittered back to the night in the forest when he had caught her wandering desolately about. He had smelled despair on her then, heavy and pungent, even through the clean air. He recalled Sango helping her back to the camp, even when she had said nothing of it. Never had he seen Kagome with such a dark, hopeless look lying heavily within her eyes… in her very soul. It made no sense to him. The Kagome he knew was always bright and cheerful, not despairing! For a moment he entertained the idea that perhaps this Kagome was a kitsune, and not at all the gentle girl he had come to know. The thought was quickly discarded, however, as she shivered from the cold.
Hesitantly, he reached a hand out and stroked her relaxed features with a single claw. Her voice lifted in a slight murmur, strangely out of place in the ramshackle conditions they now resided in.
Inuyasha gave a slight whimper of surprise when she pressed her eyes tightly together, took a deep breath, and, slowly, her beautiful gray eyes opened and alit with the light given off by the fire.
A cough rattled her body, and Inuyasha was instantly by her side, helping her sit up. His eyes cast around swiftly; searching for water, but there was, of course, none. A moment later, her uncomfortable noises stopped. Leaning over carefully, she curled into his chest. Inuyasha stared, his eyes huge.
"Inuyasha…" came her weak and muffled voice. His ears strained so he didn't miss a single word. "Where… are we?" A gentle cough. "And… whe-where… are the others?"
He closed his glittering eyes and rested his head on top of hers. "Kagome… It's alright… We'll see the others soon. We should sleep now." Then he turned her slowly, helping her lie down, curling them both in his robe. For hours they stayed like that, both finally at some type of peace they had never before felt.
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Fluff!! And there's plenty more where that came from, I promise!! Please review! I just might have the next chapter out before this weekend is over. Wouldn't that be nice? ^ ^ Review!!! Hope you liked it!