I know, I know, I shouldn't have had such a short chapter. I'm bad that way. Deal with it. The next chapter will have a bit more humor in it, and-…
Catrin: Shut up! It took me ages to come up with the plot, and if you go giving it away-!
Blah. I'm not allowed to have any fun. Can I post this chapter, mom?
Catrin: If you wish, I suppose will allow it.
Bite me.
Catrin: I'd really rather not…
Ew…I'm gonna have to stop you from hanging out with Miroku so often, there's something wrong with you. He corrupted your innocent mind!
Day Four
Early the next morning, as the sun was barely rising, the group was already up and moving. Kagome had her arms around the hanyou's neck, chin on his shoulder as he nimbly leapt from tree branch to tree branch. Inuyasha's long sliver hair rippled in the faint light as he took a sharp turn, veering past an old, large tree that stood in his path. Sesshoumaru and Rin were ahead and below, Sesshoumaru walking slower and more deliberately then his energetic half brother. Yes, there had been a lack of fighting, and even the great demon lord himself was almost itching for a chance to relieve himself of some of the pent up energy, but there was no way he was going to lower himself to such an unseemly display.
A soft giggle from the girl on Inuyasha's back made him toss a glance back at her, and vaguely smile in amusement. He knew how much she loved to ride on him, and to be honest; he enjoyed it almost as much as she did. "You're getting slow…" She murmured after a moment, grinning from ear to ear as his steps lost their rhythm and he landed on a protruding tree branch. He turned his head, golden eyes flashing in indignation at her comment.
"You wanna repeat that again wench?" He set her down, and crossed his arms, the very epitome of male arrogance and affront. "'Cause there's no way that I just heard you say what I thought you said…"
Kagome smiled wider, blinking innocently. The half demon rolled his eyes, and ruffled her hair affectionately. Sheesh, what's that look for? Indeed, Kagome was staring at him with something akin to surprise on her features.
"What's your problem, you just figure out that I'm a half demon or somethin'?" He shifted nervously from his position on the tree branch, uncomfortable.
"You're so sweet sometimes!" She squealed, throwing her arms around him, and hugging him tightly. Utterly confused, he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her back lightly, still puzzled. But hey, if she wanted to hug him, more power to her- he wasn't going to object.
When she stood up on tiptoe, and kissed him firmly on the mouth, he threw all his thoughts out the window, and kissed her back gratefully. He always would love kissing her; she was so warm, and soft in his arms. Kagome's thoughts ran along similar lines, as she leaned in to him, eyes closing, and sighing in to his mouth.
Arms dropping to wind part way around his waist, she tilted her head to the side as he broke away from her mouth to press warm kisses to the side of her neck, and tug away part of the white shirt to reveal her shoulder. Almost instantly after a soft whimper escaped her lips, he came to his senses, and pulled himself away regretfully. "Jeez Kagome," He murmured, resting his forehead against hers in a rare moment of happiness. "You're making me like the monk…"
Fighting to keep a straight face at his perfectly serious comment, she lost the battle, and leaned against him, laughing. Rolling his eyes, he picked her up again, and sniffed the air. "Alright, c'mon wench, you're actin' crazy, and we've got to catch up to Sesshoumaru and the brat."
"Be nice…" Were her only words, as he took off again.
\\
Skipping ahead of the quiet youkai lord, who was quite obviously lost in thought about one thing or another, Rin grew tired and bored of his silence. Turning back to see if she could spot the one person who had already promised to play with her at a later time, Kagome, she realized that the older girl was no where to be found. "Ano…Sesshoumaru-sama, where is Kagome-chan and Inuyasha?"
Sesshoumaru didn't answer for a moment, still staying quiet. "They will come Rin." He kept his current unhurried pace, knowing that in fact his half brother and the human girl would follow eventually. Rin stared at his back for a moment, and then trotted after him, briefly confused.
"What is wrong with Sesshoumaru-sama?" Her dark brown eyes blinked up at him, and he resisted the almost overwhelming urge so sigh.
"Nothing is wrong with me Rin."
She thought for a moment, and he kept walking. "Well, it seems to Rin-chan that there is something wrong…."
"Rin, I assure you, there is nothing wrong with me." Glancing back at the child, he lifted a hand and brushed back his silvery bangs.
"Are Kagome-chan and Inuyasha in…" Rin paused for a moment, contemplating her question. "Are they in love? Sango-sama and Kagome-chan were talking about 'love' when I bathed with them…"
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, and a tiny almost wistful smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Hai Rin…they are in love…" And a rather fitting one at that. I've never met a woman more suited to handle the stubbornness of that hanyou. "Come Rin, we are almost to the human village, and they will no doubt come along later."
"But Sesshoumaru-sama…"
"Rin," The youkai lord kept walking and the child gave a great heaving sigh, before following.
\\
Sango will be fine… She has suffered worse before, and this will be no different.
Ah, yes, but most of those times, it was not so blatantly your fault.
Hai…that is true… But- Miroku stepped over a protruding log and his gaze slid to the unconscious demon slayer, who was sprawled on Kirara's furry back. "Do you think that the others are fairing well?" He asked, almost rhetorically. The neko youkai looked back at him, and flicked an ear in irritation. Rasiel gave a soft yawing mew, and bounded up, leaping on to the young monk's shoulder and nosing his ear. Miroku rolled his eyes, and kept on walking, occasionally glancing back to see if Sango was waking up at all.
After traveling almost the whole day, it was beginning to show on his face, and finally, he leaned against the tree, and brushed back his dark bangs. But with all the rogue demons around, it wouldn't be safe to stay the night, even with two youkai. "Right then…we continue on."
\\
When their paths crossed with Sesshoumaru and the sleeping child Rin, Miroku couldn't hold in the sigh of complete and utter relief. "What is wrong with the slayer, monk?"
Miroku rolled his shoulders absently, and spoke softly, "Where are Kagome-sama and Inuyasha? Weren't they with you?" Sesshoumaru scowled fiercely, and Rin murmured something in her sleep. With a huge yawn, and a long stretch, she tugged on Sesshoumaru's long white hair, her sleepy signal to be let down.
Teetering over, she absently pet the large youkai on her nose, and inspected the relaxed face of the slayer. "What happened…" A huge yawn. "T-to her?" Her hands rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and she turned to the monk. "Will she be all right? She doesn't look well…"
Miroku nodded his head, "Hai, I know, and she shall be fine little one. She's just tired, it's been a long day." Rubbing his temples, frustrated, he faced the youkai lord. "Sesshoumaru-sama, where are Kagome-chan and Inuyasha?"
Cocking his head even as the monk spoke, his finely tuned ears caught the sound of his half brother leaping through the forest, approaching fast. "They come, even as we speak here."
Sure enough, Inuyasha dropped down from a tree, a half-asleep Kagome on his back, arms wrapped tightly around his neck, face buried his hair. Glaring dangerously at the monk's knowing look, the hanyou shifted, letting Kagome touch the ground. "Say anything monk, and I'll rip your hands off and feed them to you."
Miroku raised the said appendages, a sign of no hostility. "Understood," He gave a weak grin. "I rather expect I'll need these later."
Kagome gave a dry laugh, and Inuyasha replied with his ever famous, "Feh."
\\
As it was later revealed, Sango only suffered a minor concussion, the result of hitting the giant tree with as much force as she did. When she awoke late that night, Miroku was the first sight that her eyes met as he peered over, checking on her. "Sango! You're awake!" His voice was softer then usual, the normal smoothness gone, and roughened with concern for the girl. Sango nodded slowly, blinking, and trying to clear her blurry and foggy vision. "Sango is awake."
The announcement made Sesshoumaru look over from his standing position from across the camp, eyes sliding to the two of them, and then back to the darkened surroundings of the forest, should a threat arise.
Inuyasha was still caught in between sleep and consciousness; head pillowed on Kagome's lap, as the miko absently stroked his satiny ears with her left hand. With her right hand, she was holding that weak little stick that she called a 'pencil', and working on something called 'English' homework. Inuyasha mumbled something under his breath, and turned slightly, opting for more sleep. It's almost sickening, honestly. Sesshoumaru moved away from the tree, and walked over to where Rin was curled up by the fire, fast asleep again. "I am going to take Rin back, and make sure that Jaken is running things correctly. I will return at a later date."
Kagome looked up, and sent the lord a bright smile, "All right, thanks for everything Sesshoumaru-sama…" Sesshoumaru inclined his head, and picked up the sleepy child effortlessly, before disappearing in to the darkness of the night. "Sango-chan, how're you doing?"
"I'm fine…" Sango smiled weakly, caught in between staring at the monk, and talking to her best friend. "But- Kagome-chan-"
Kagome noticed the girl seem to lose confidence, and she smiled gingerly. "Sango, I assure you, that I have no interest in Miroku-sama, and that before was a…. Mistake…" It will do no good to tell her that this entire thing is because of a curse…Kagome thought wryly. "And neither is Rin. So as you can see, Miroku-sama is all yours!"
The monk sent her a venomous look, and Kagome smiled brightly. "Good," Sango latched herself on to his arm, all her injuries forgotten in favor of hitting on the monk. "Miroku, are you alright too?"
Kagome sighed heavily, and reached down to tweak Inuyasha's fuzzy ear. "This got old, after the first few times…" She murmured, as Miroku tried half-heartedly to fend off Sango's advances toward him.
Inuyasha opened an eye, and flashed his fangs in a lethargic grin. "Did you reach this conclusion before or after she kicked your ass?"
Kagome glared daggers at him, and abruptly twisted his ear painfully, electing a yelp of pain from him. "Ow, wench! Gods, be nice!" He yelped again as she pinched down. "Sorry! Sorry!" Kagome let his ear go, and he brought a hand up to gently massage the wounded area. "Gods woman, you're awful…" He growled, cursing under his breath. Kagome smiled innocently, and shifted on the ground, allowing him to rest his head on her lap again.
"And you're the most adorable thing I've ever seen." She tapped his nose, and then let out a cry of surprise when he leaned up and bit it gently. "Ow! That was mean!" Sucking on the wounded finger, she thwacked him on the head with the pencil, and proceeded to pout.
"I ain't cute, I'm ferocious." He closed his eyes again, and Kagome made a face at him. Her joking mood was gone, however, when she looked over the homework that had been assigned in her 'absences due to sickness'. Poetry. I hate poetry. I'm never gonna need to know how to write 'name poetry', so why do they insist on teaching us it? Maybe Sango-chan will help me, and we can go get a bath.
"Sango-chan, do you want to come take a bath with me?" Sticking her pencil in the notebook, and marking her place, she looked over to where Miroku and Sango had paused. Sango shook her head, and Miroku smiled lecherously.
"Kagome-sama, I would love to take a bath with you, and even would be willing to help you reach those hard to get spots!" The entire sentence was said with such seriousness, that Kagome scooped up a stick, and tossed it at his head.
"Sango-chan, why don't we go, now?!" Voice clearly stating that she would accept nothing less then utter acceptance, the demon slayer nodded and reluctantly pulled away. Lifting Inuyasha's head off of her lap, the miko in training pushed herself off the ground, and grabbed her bathing supplies, just in time to hear Inuyasha incoherently mumble something about 'Stupid tests, and shit.' Smiling wryly, Kagome tossed a warning over her shoulder to the monk, and then proceeded to the springs with Sango following.
Well, I rewrote the entire chapter, so it is the lenth that it is now. Be happy. Yah. Anyway, I'm really tired, and I swear I will try to get to review responses as soon as possible. Really.
Love to all,
Me.