Two new Demon Exterminators?
"I smell blood, human blood." Inuyasha said as he took off in the direction his nose was taking him, the others following as quickly as they could. When they finally came to a stopped Inuyasha, they found a village with massacred humans spread as far as they could see. "Oh my gosh" Kagome said putting her hand over mouth. "What happened? She finished. Miroku surveyed the scene before him and replied "It looks as though this village was attacked by demons." "Yeah, and not just any demons either, Kagura and some other demons of Naraku's, I can smell him all over the place." Inuyasha added. Everyone just shook their heads in response and decided to take a look around to see if there were any survivors, after surveying the entire village they come up empty handed and decide to start burying everyone.
A few hours later all the villagers have been properly buried and Miroku has said a few words, they then decide to start tracking Naraku's scent and as usual Inuyasha is chomping at the bit. "Come on, at this rate he could have made it to the other side of the world." He yelled as everyone was getting their things together to prepare for the departure. "Hentai!!!!" *Slap* came the sounds from behind the hanyou and the young Miko, Inuyasha just rolls his eyes and Kagome turns to see a battered Miroku on the ground with huge lump on his head, Sango standing over him glaring. As they are entering the forest that lays just outside of the village Inuyasha catches another scent, the group watches as he is quietly investigating the surrounding brush.
Just as he find what the cause of the smell is he is almost trampled by a horse that comes running out of the bushes, taking him completely by surprise. "What the hell!" He yelled as he jumps out of the way of the obvious mad horse. To everyone's surprise the horse keeps 'attacking' Inuyasha, until Kagome says "He seems to be protecting something." Looking at her a little annoyed he replies "No, you think?" She rolls her eyes as she goes to investigate the thick brush the horse came from, only to find two girls slumped together, both badly injured and unconscious. Kagome motions for Miroku and Sango to come to her aid, as the approach her she kneels over the girls. "We have to get them help, they can't stay out here all alone." She says to her friends with sadness in her voice. "Your right Kagome, they were probably from that village we just came for, we should get them to Kaede." Sango replies to her kneeling over as well. "Kirara, please come." She says over her should at the large form demon cat that was standing nearby. They all put the girls on the back of Kirara, and remember that they forgot one important thing. "Oh, Inuyasha!" Kagome says guiltily admitting that she had forgotten about him. She then turns to see the not very happy hanyou sitting in a tree nearby.
"That's real nice, so what do you think your going to do with those girls?" He asks eyeing the bunch suspiciously. "We have to take them to Kaede, they are injured and need help." Kagome replies to him. "So what, let them find their own help, they aren't children." Inuyasha says in huff. "Inuyasha, how can you say that, they could be from that village that was destroyed, and if so they have no one left, they are all alone, we can't leave them out here." Looking at him solemnly, Inuyasha just stares back at her, thinking of how no one had helped him when he was all alone in the world, but see that he isn't going to win this one and looking forward to escaping a crap load of sits he sighs and nods his head. "Another set back, sheesh!" Kagome just smiles at him as she turns to follow her two friends and the two injured girls on the demon cat. Inuyasha come up behind her and grabs her arm, "If we have to take them back to Kaede, then we are at least going to get their quickly." He said in his usual bossy tone, nodding for Kagome to get on his back. She complies and they take off towards to the village they left only days before, the oddly protective horse following close behind. (I wonder how she feels riding around on his back all the time? I mean that's kind of a personal thing isn't it, I mean here she is 'straddled' across his back and he's holding her bare thighs???? What do you think? Hehe)
"Well the girls will be fine, they need some rest, and Kagome and I have given them some herbs to heal their wounds and help them get some rest." Kaede said exiting the hut with Kagome behind her to the others waiting outside. "Good then let's get going." Inuyasha said as he already was turning around and heading in the direction they had come. "We can't just leave them like that, we have to stay until they are awake and we can explain everything to them," Kagome says to the departing half demon, but quickly finishing her sentence as she sees the angry look on his face. "Besides it's going to be dark soon, no sense going out now, we'll have to camp in an hour." Inuyasha just shakes his head angrily and takes off towards his tree. Sighs come from all four humans as they watch the departing stubborn ass. Shippou pipes in with a comment "Sheeesh, if he had a brain the size of his temper, he'd be the smartest guy in the world." They all laugh and walk towards the hut. Sango and Kagome decide to start dinner while Kaede goes to finish helping the villagers she was tending to before the group arrived, Miroku and Shippou go gather firewood, Kirara is curled by the door asleep and the horse that accompanied the two girls was standing close to the door in a sentry like position.
Dammit' Thought Inuyasha as he sat perched in his infamous tree. Every friggin' time, there's always something we have to come back for, always something that we have to stop the shard search for, it won't be long before Kagome has to come back again and take that 'skool' stuff back to her time, at this rate we'll be searching for the shards till Kagome's time comes around in this one. He leaned his head against the trunk of the tree and just sighed.
Kagome and Sango finished making dinner and passed out the bowels of Ramen, Kagome walking to the sacred tree and looking up. "Inuyasha are going to come down and eat?" "Feh." Was all he replied, "Come on, look I'm sorry that I made you come back here and that we have to stay, I just couldn't leave them out there like that." She said softly, she then lowered her head and her voice even more. "I'm sorry that I'm more trouble than help to Inuyasha, I always to seem to be getting in the way." Inuyasha jumped out of the tree quietly and landing behind her, anyone else wouldn't have been able to hear what she had said but with his sensitive ears her heard her loud and clear. He then pulled her to him in a comforting hug when he caught the smell of salt in her scent. She started crying then, and he wished he hadn't been so hard on her.
"Your not in my way Kagome, I know I get upset when we have to stop and come back all the time, but I'm just impatient, I don't think of you as a burden, please don't cry." He whispered softly, hoping she'd stop crying soon it was ripping him up. Kagome was quiet for a few minutes a little shocked at his reaction to her statement and tears, he was hugging her, she felt her world spin a little until she realized what she was doing and snapped back to reality. She looked up at him and smiled, "You don't?" She sniffled. Looking down at her with a strange look in his eyes he replied "No, Kagome, I don't, I never have." She smiled up at him "Thank you." She whispered. He complimented her smile with one of his own, but didn't move to part them; they just kinda stood there for a few seconds when they were abruptly interrupted by a voice. "Hmmm, what is this?" Miroku asked with a smirk on his face as he walked closer to the couple he had been watching for the last few minutes. The two quickly jumped apart and blushed. "Nothing you big sneak, at least not what your thinking you pervert!" Inuyasha yelled at him, trying to regain his composure. Miroku just smiled and walked back to camp, before they were left alone again Kagome asked if Inuyasha was hungry, he nodded and they walked in the direction of the hut, not too far from Miroku. That was interesting, those two are so stubborn, if they only knew that we can all see it plain as day their love for each other all over their faces. He mused silently to himself with a big smirk on his face.
Oh man, what was that all about? I know that I hate it when Kagome cries and I try to make her feel better when I can, but that was just not normal, why didn't I let go after she said 'Thank you', I just stood there, I couldn't bring myself to let her go, it felt so good to have her in my arms. Inuyasha abruptly shook his head to clear his thoughts, just the thought of it made him blush.
Shoot, I'm still blushing. Kagome thought to herself, trying not to think about what had just happened, but couldn't fight it. What was he doing? Ok yeah it's not the first time he's ever hugged me and normally that wouldn't have been so out of place when I was crying but then he just held me there, he didn't even act like he wanted to let go, and what was up with the way he was looking at me, he was looking at me like he.... She trailed off when she realized what she was thinking, shaking her head slowly. "He's in love with Kikyo, Kagome, that's just not possible, right? ' She shuddered when she realized she could still feel his arms around her, and the warmth of his body against hers. Looking over at the object of her thoughts she noticed he was blushing. Not really thinking before she questioned him, she was just looking for anything to get her mind off of the feelings she was feeling at that moment. "What's the matter Inuyasha? Are you ok?" She questioned innocently. He didn't even look at her, he just growled with responded with an icy "Nothing" as he ran the rest of the way to the hut. Leaving Kagome dumbfounded for a few seconds until she put the pieces together and realized what she had just done. "Ahhh, your so stupid Kagome." *Thump* She said as she smacked herself in the forehead and rolling her eyes.
Her eyes widened when was brought back to reality by a certain someone reminding her that she hadn't been alone. "It's alright Lady Kagome, don't hit yourself because Inuyasha is too stubborn to admit his feelings for you." Miroku said ruefully as he watched her reactions to his very blunt statement. She only groaned and said "Ohh Miroku don't start that again." Rolling her eyes, 'Good, good cover up.' She told herself, though her façade was a calm and collective one that said 'You know I don't believe that.' Her insides were screaming at her, just the tiniest thought of Inuyasha having feelings for her brought everything crashing down around her and put her in a fog, it drove her crazy, because then she'd wind up in some dream world and then all of a sudden Kikyo would show up and he prove just how wrong Miroku's statement was, then she'd be in a depression and go home again and be hurt and cry like it was some knew thing that he had just done to her. Actually she was quite used to this whole 'I dote on you and protect you and get jealous over you thing, until Kikyo shows up then I have no idea who you are.' She was actually numb most of the time, she knew that she loved him, she'd known for some time now, but she knew she could never compete with Kikyo and she gave up on the idea, just didn't feel anything anymore at least that way it didn't hurt so bad when he did go running off to 'talk' to Kikyo. She finished her thoughts with a heavy sigh and a shake of her head to clear it. As she walked up to the hut where everyone was she placed a fake 'Kagome' smile on her face and acted as if nothing had happened.
After dinner Kagome and Sango cleaned up with Shippou helping, he then tugged on her skirt looking up and asking "Kagome, do you have any of that sweet stuff left?" She smiled down at him and nodded, walking over to her bag and flipping it open, she remembered that she had something else for him. "Oh I forgot about this too." She said to him as she pulled a book and a small box that rattled a little when she laid it on the ground. "What is it?" Looking at it suspiciously and then back up at Kagome, "It's a coloring book and crayons, you take the crayon and color in the pictures in the book." She replied to him, but seeing that he was still confused she said "Here I'll show you." Flipping open the book to a spot that had a page for each of them to color, she then opened the box of crayons and poured them on the ground next to the coloring book, she took one her favorite color, red, and began to color in a small part of the picture. Shippou watched her intently and then followed her demonstration. "Wow, this is neat, and fun." (Yeah, Yeah, I know Shippou actually already know what that stuff is because he colored pictures for Kaede in the episode "Two hearts, one mind" but in my story he hasn't discovered them yet, 'cause I thought it would be cute to put in there and help to get Kagome's mind off of everything else.) Kagome smiled at the Kitsune and then went back to her coloring.
After finishing her coloring and watching Shippou color a few more pages, he asked her to tear one out and then pointing to another one and said proudly "This one's for you Kagome." Inspecting the beautiful display of colors and was surprised that Shippou had gotten the hang of the technique and barley went out of the lines at all she replied "Thank you Shippou it's beautiful." Hugging him she picked up the crayons and book and placed them back in her bag. When she turned around Shippou had disappeared, shrugging she went to get her bed ready. A few minutes later Shippou bounded back into the hut with a huge, very cute almost puppy like smile on his face, he then curled up next to Kagome under her sleeping bag and said "G'night Kagome." Through a small yawn. She smiled and replied her good night back to him and then to everyone else in the room. After a few minutes of silence Kagome spoke again "Shippou?" "Hmmm." He responded. "What did you do with that picture that I tore out of the book for you?" He was quiet for a second and then answered very quietly "I gave it to Inuyasha, to cheer him up, he seems kinda sad." With that he drifted to sleep leaving a shocked Kagome. She just stared at his small form for a second but then quickly shook her head forced herself to sleep before her thoughts started.
The entire hut was awakened by a scream and a girl's voice yelling. "Get away you stinking demon, I'll kill you!" Kagome jumped up out of her bed nearly tripping over Shippou as he was groggily trying get up. "I'm sorry Shippou." She said as she scooped him up in her arms and surveyed what was going on, Miroku and Sango stood next to her, while Kirara was standing in front of them in case she was needed. What the group saw was the eldest girl that they had rescued with a dagger in her hand and yelling and running towards the doorway of the hut. She stopped in her tracks when Kagome spoke, "What's going on?" She questioned. The girl turned staring at them all wide eyed while the other girl was sitting against the wall watching everything intently. "There was a demon here, I saw him, he was standing over you, and I almost got him, but he ran out before I could reach him." She exclaimed, watching warily at everyone's reactions. "A demon?" Miroku repeated, looking from the girl to Kagome and then Sango, and watched as realization dawned on all of them. Kagome then walked to the door and peered out, there she found Inuyasha standing flat against the side of the hut, as if he'd disappear if he pressed him self against it hard enough.
Kagome grabbed his hand and led the wide eyed hanyou back into the hut. "You!!" the girl yelled and lifted her arm that was holding the dagger towards him. "Stop!" Kagome said forcefully the girl, watching her closely as she lowered her dagger before she finished. "This is Inuyasha, he's not a demon, well he is, but he's only half, and he's a friend, we're all friends, we found you girls outside a village injured so we brought you back here to a friend to heal you." Still not convinced the girl sneered at Inuyasha and then just snorted "I am not friends with a demon, even if he is only a lowly half breed, besides he does not look very 'friendly'." Inuyasha growled and narrowed his eye when he heard the girl refer to him as a half breed, but Kagome tightened her hold on his arm when she felt him start to move, he looked at her ,then snatching his arm away, angrily walked out of the hut. Kagome and Sango stayed up while everyone else went back to sleep to explain to the girls about everything and reassure them that Inuyasha was 'good' demon and he would not hurt them, though the girls gave no feedback back to them about their history or even their names, but they listened intently to the two woman that seemed so nice. After about an hour of coaxing they finally got the two girls quieted enough to go back to bed, they soon followed suit and fell asleep right away.
Kagome woke to the sounds of footsteps and hushed voices. 'Aarrggghhh, she thought. 'It is way to soon to wake up, I'll just stay here for a little longer.' About a minute went by when she thought again 'Yeah right, if I don't getup now I'll never hear the end of it, besides I can't leave Sango to do breakfast alone.' She then opened her eyes and drug herself out her warm and comfy bed, her body rebelled but she forced to stand, rubbing her eyes and letting them focus she realized she was alone in the hut. 'Good lord where is everyone?' Stepping outside with no sign of anyone she started to walk towards the forest when Kaede brought swinging around to face the voice that had startled her. "They have all gone to do something's for me in the village, Kagome, they will be back later on." She told the girl that stood looking at her questioningly. "Oh my gosh, did I sleep that late?"
She asked totally shocked that Shippou hadn't woke her and even more that Inuyasha hadn't come in yelling at her for being lazy. "Aye child, the others thought it best to let ye sleep this morning after such a long night." She smiled at her then told her that she too had something's to tend to in the village and that she would return later. "There is some tea in the hut on the table; ye make sure those girls drink it." She nodded, but Kaede seeing the girls question on her face she answered. "They are on the hill behind the hut, they are not quite ready to be sociable as of yet." Kagome only nodded again as Kaede walked towards the village, she then walked back inside to her pack and flipped it open, rummaging through its contents she found the object she was looking for. "Ahh there you are my sweet." Kagome said with a little smile on her face as she started to un wrap the cereal bar that she had brought with her the last time she left her time. She then walked back outside and sat in the sun in front of the hut. Finishing the sweet morsel, she sat back against the wall of the hut and just relaxed in the sun, 'wow, she thought, 'it isn't often that I can just sit in the sun by myself and relax, I forgot how peaceful it is.'
Twenty minutes went by and then Kagome noticed that the two girls were standing at the other corner of the hut looking at her with longing on their faces. "Have you girls eaten anything this morning?" The girls replied by shaking their heads no. "Well why not, no one offered you anything?" No response, 'hmmm ok', she stood and went back to her pack and grabbed two more of the cereal bars and brought them back out to the girls, who looked at the strange objects suspiciously and then back at her. "Here, she said. "It's food, try it." As she opened each one and handed them to the girls, they reluctantly took the strange 'food' and tried a bit when nothing happened and they realized they were good, they ate them like a pack of wolves to a feast that hadn't eaten in weeks. Kagome watched in amazement at the girls gobbling their food and asked "How long has it been since you last ate?" The girls shrugged. After they finished their breakfast about ten long minutes of silence dragged by the eldest girl spoke. "Thank you very much for the food, Kagome." Looking over at the girls Kagome smiled and replied "Your welcome." Then a few more minutes of silence stretched by and the girl spoke again this time in a much bolder voice and a rush of words.
"My name is Asami, and this is my friend Sumie, the village that you spoke of last night was our home, we were attacked by a demon in the night." Kagome frowned and asked "If you don't mind me asking why, demons would attack your village, it seemed so simple?" "Yes, that is the way we made it appear so that no one really knew what we did there, the village is, or was really a training place, were are demon exterminators, my father and brother had just killed a large demon earlier that day and had collected two shards of the Shikon no Tama, I believe that is why those demons attacked our village, for that is what they took when they finished ravaging the place, that despicable Naraku is behind this I know it." Asami replied with bitterness in her voice. At this Kagome asked surprised "You know Naraku?"
The girl nodded and explained, "My cousin who was also a great demon exterminator was brought to our village one day very badly injured and before he died he told us of this Naraku and his plot against all living things to retrieve the jewel for him self to become full demon." Kagome then began to tell the girls of their story and history with notorious Naraku and the jewel shards that they had, and then explained everyone's own reasons for joining the fight against Naraku and his minions. Just then the girls heard a snort behind them and leapt up to throw arms around their obviously faithful companion. "Uuri!!!!" Kagome smile then and telling them how the horse had 'attacked' Inuyasha and kept him at bay while the others helped the two girls on to Kirara, and how he's stayed, standing guard the whole time they were unconscious. Asami smiled and hugged the horse again "He probably thought that he was going to hurt us." referring to Inuyasha.
"Care to explain how the likes of you two came to have the company of that type of horse?" Inuyasha asked walking up behind and startling everyone. "What do you mean by 'that type of horse'?" Asami questioned him just as boldly as he had. "Don't act like I don't know wench, I know that horse isn't a horse at all, he's a demon, and they are usually only in the company of lords or very powerful demons!" He snapped back, getting angry that the girl thought him stupid. "I'm sorry, it's just that I am used to covering his true form to humans that don't know any better, and to answer your question, he was my fathers companion, he came a rescued us when the demons were about to kill us." Inuyasha looked at the girl suspiciously "Just how did your father come to possess such a thing, he was not a lord, and your village was miles away from the nearest castle." "Do you think that I am hiding something from you mongrel?" She asked bitterly, Inuyasha's eyes widened and growled "What did you call me?" He questioned his eyes shooting daggers at the girl. "Mongrel, it's a type of dog......" She was cut off when he snapped back at her. "I know what it is you stupid girl!" He growled. "Well do not act as though I am being untruthful or have a reason to lie, you treat me as if I am a common thief, I will not allow a demon to do such a thing." She threw back at the enraged hanyou in a icy tone. "Please forgive him, he doesn't know any better, he really doesn't trust anyone when he first meets them, I think he's calmed down quite a bit considering the first time he met me he tried to kill me." Kagome replied with a smile on her face waving the thought away.
The girls shot Inuyasha a death glare at the information they received from the girl that seemed to be used to his actions, Asami then looked down at Kagome and finished her earlier conversation, totally ignoring Inuyasha. "I'm not entirely sure, but long ago before I was born and brother was still an infant, my father was traveling with my mother and a few other farmers that had lost their lands to some demon that had decided he wanted it for himself and chased them off. Well one night while he was out searching for food he had stumbled upon a castle.......
I know, I know, what a crappie place to end a chapter, not really a cliff hanger, not really a satisfied ending though either huh? Oh well you'll get the next chapter soon......:O)
"I smell blood, human blood." Inuyasha said as he took off in the direction his nose was taking him, the others following as quickly as they could. When they finally came to a stopped Inuyasha, they found a village with massacred humans spread as far as they could see. "Oh my gosh" Kagome said putting her hand over mouth. "What happened? She finished. Miroku surveyed the scene before him and replied "It looks as though this village was attacked by demons." "Yeah, and not just any demons either, Kagura and some other demons of Naraku's, I can smell him all over the place." Inuyasha added. Everyone just shook their heads in response and decided to take a look around to see if there were any survivors, after surveying the entire village they come up empty handed and decide to start burying everyone.
A few hours later all the villagers have been properly buried and Miroku has said a few words, they then decide to start tracking Naraku's scent and as usual Inuyasha is chomping at the bit. "Come on, at this rate he could have made it to the other side of the world." He yelled as everyone was getting their things together to prepare for the departure. "Hentai!!!!" *Slap* came the sounds from behind the hanyou and the young Miko, Inuyasha just rolls his eyes and Kagome turns to see a battered Miroku on the ground with huge lump on his head, Sango standing over him glaring. As they are entering the forest that lays just outside of the village Inuyasha catches another scent, the group watches as he is quietly investigating the surrounding brush.
Just as he find what the cause of the smell is he is almost trampled by a horse that comes running out of the bushes, taking him completely by surprise. "What the hell!" He yelled as he jumps out of the way of the obvious mad horse. To everyone's surprise the horse keeps 'attacking' Inuyasha, until Kagome says "He seems to be protecting something." Looking at her a little annoyed he replies "No, you think?" She rolls her eyes as she goes to investigate the thick brush the horse came from, only to find two girls slumped together, both badly injured and unconscious. Kagome motions for Miroku and Sango to come to her aid, as the approach her she kneels over the girls. "We have to get them help, they can't stay out here all alone." She says to her friends with sadness in her voice. "Your right Kagome, they were probably from that village we just came for, we should get them to Kaede." Sango replies to her kneeling over as well. "Kirara, please come." She says over her should at the large form demon cat that was standing nearby. They all put the girls on the back of Kirara, and remember that they forgot one important thing. "Oh, Inuyasha!" Kagome says guiltily admitting that she had forgotten about him. She then turns to see the not very happy hanyou sitting in a tree nearby.
"That's real nice, so what do you think your going to do with those girls?" He asks eyeing the bunch suspiciously. "We have to take them to Kaede, they are injured and need help." Kagome replies to him. "So what, let them find their own help, they aren't children." Inuyasha says in huff. "Inuyasha, how can you say that, they could be from that village that was destroyed, and if so they have no one left, they are all alone, we can't leave them out here." Looking at him solemnly, Inuyasha just stares back at her, thinking of how no one had helped him when he was all alone in the world, but see that he isn't going to win this one and looking forward to escaping a crap load of sits he sighs and nods his head. "Another set back, sheesh!" Kagome just smiles at him as she turns to follow her two friends and the two injured girls on the demon cat. Inuyasha come up behind her and grabs her arm, "If we have to take them back to Kaede, then we are at least going to get their quickly." He said in his usual bossy tone, nodding for Kagome to get on his back. She complies and they take off towards to the village they left only days before, the oddly protective horse following close behind. (I wonder how she feels riding around on his back all the time? I mean that's kind of a personal thing isn't it, I mean here she is 'straddled' across his back and he's holding her bare thighs???? What do you think? Hehe)
"Well the girls will be fine, they need some rest, and Kagome and I have given them some herbs to heal their wounds and help them get some rest." Kaede said exiting the hut with Kagome behind her to the others waiting outside. "Good then let's get going." Inuyasha said as he already was turning around and heading in the direction they had come. "We can't just leave them like that, we have to stay until they are awake and we can explain everything to them," Kagome says to the departing half demon, but quickly finishing her sentence as she sees the angry look on his face. "Besides it's going to be dark soon, no sense going out now, we'll have to camp in an hour." Inuyasha just shakes his head angrily and takes off towards his tree. Sighs come from all four humans as they watch the departing stubborn ass. Shippou pipes in with a comment "Sheeesh, if he had a brain the size of his temper, he'd be the smartest guy in the world." They all laugh and walk towards the hut. Sango and Kagome decide to start dinner while Kaede goes to finish helping the villagers she was tending to before the group arrived, Miroku and Shippou go gather firewood, Kirara is curled by the door asleep and the horse that accompanied the two girls was standing close to the door in a sentry like position.
Dammit' Thought Inuyasha as he sat perched in his infamous tree. Every friggin' time, there's always something we have to come back for, always something that we have to stop the shard search for, it won't be long before Kagome has to come back again and take that 'skool' stuff back to her time, at this rate we'll be searching for the shards till Kagome's time comes around in this one. He leaned his head against the trunk of the tree and just sighed.
Kagome and Sango finished making dinner and passed out the bowels of Ramen, Kagome walking to the sacred tree and looking up. "Inuyasha are going to come down and eat?" "Feh." Was all he replied, "Come on, look I'm sorry that I made you come back here and that we have to stay, I just couldn't leave them out there like that." She said softly, she then lowered her head and her voice even more. "I'm sorry that I'm more trouble than help to Inuyasha, I always to seem to be getting in the way." Inuyasha jumped out of the tree quietly and landing behind her, anyone else wouldn't have been able to hear what she had said but with his sensitive ears her heard her loud and clear. He then pulled her to him in a comforting hug when he caught the smell of salt in her scent. She started crying then, and he wished he hadn't been so hard on her.
"Your not in my way Kagome, I know I get upset when we have to stop and come back all the time, but I'm just impatient, I don't think of you as a burden, please don't cry." He whispered softly, hoping she'd stop crying soon it was ripping him up. Kagome was quiet for a few minutes a little shocked at his reaction to her statement and tears, he was hugging her, she felt her world spin a little until she realized what she was doing and snapped back to reality. She looked up at him and smiled, "You don't?" She sniffled. Looking down at her with a strange look in his eyes he replied "No, Kagome, I don't, I never have." She smiled up at him "Thank you." She whispered. He complimented her smile with one of his own, but didn't move to part them; they just kinda stood there for a few seconds when they were abruptly interrupted by a voice. "Hmmm, what is this?" Miroku asked with a smirk on his face as he walked closer to the couple he had been watching for the last few minutes. The two quickly jumped apart and blushed. "Nothing you big sneak, at least not what your thinking you pervert!" Inuyasha yelled at him, trying to regain his composure. Miroku just smiled and walked back to camp, before they were left alone again Kagome asked if Inuyasha was hungry, he nodded and they walked in the direction of the hut, not too far from Miroku. That was interesting, those two are so stubborn, if they only knew that we can all see it plain as day their love for each other all over their faces. He mused silently to himself with a big smirk on his face.
Oh man, what was that all about? I know that I hate it when Kagome cries and I try to make her feel better when I can, but that was just not normal, why didn't I let go after she said 'Thank you', I just stood there, I couldn't bring myself to let her go, it felt so good to have her in my arms. Inuyasha abruptly shook his head to clear his thoughts, just the thought of it made him blush.
Shoot, I'm still blushing. Kagome thought to herself, trying not to think about what had just happened, but couldn't fight it. What was he doing? Ok yeah it's not the first time he's ever hugged me and normally that wouldn't have been so out of place when I was crying but then he just held me there, he didn't even act like he wanted to let go, and what was up with the way he was looking at me, he was looking at me like he.... She trailed off when she realized what she was thinking, shaking her head slowly. "He's in love with Kikyo, Kagome, that's just not possible, right? ' She shuddered when she realized she could still feel his arms around her, and the warmth of his body against hers. Looking over at the object of her thoughts she noticed he was blushing. Not really thinking before she questioned him, she was just looking for anything to get her mind off of the feelings she was feeling at that moment. "What's the matter Inuyasha? Are you ok?" She questioned innocently. He didn't even look at her, he just growled with responded with an icy "Nothing" as he ran the rest of the way to the hut. Leaving Kagome dumbfounded for a few seconds until she put the pieces together and realized what she had just done. "Ahhh, your so stupid Kagome." *Thump* She said as she smacked herself in the forehead and rolling her eyes.
Her eyes widened when was brought back to reality by a certain someone reminding her that she hadn't been alone. "It's alright Lady Kagome, don't hit yourself because Inuyasha is too stubborn to admit his feelings for you." Miroku said ruefully as he watched her reactions to his very blunt statement. She only groaned and said "Ohh Miroku don't start that again." Rolling her eyes, 'Good, good cover up.' She told herself, though her façade was a calm and collective one that said 'You know I don't believe that.' Her insides were screaming at her, just the tiniest thought of Inuyasha having feelings for her brought everything crashing down around her and put her in a fog, it drove her crazy, because then she'd wind up in some dream world and then all of a sudden Kikyo would show up and he prove just how wrong Miroku's statement was, then she'd be in a depression and go home again and be hurt and cry like it was some knew thing that he had just done to her. Actually she was quite used to this whole 'I dote on you and protect you and get jealous over you thing, until Kikyo shows up then I have no idea who you are.' She was actually numb most of the time, she knew that she loved him, she'd known for some time now, but she knew she could never compete with Kikyo and she gave up on the idea, just didn't feel anything anymore at least that way it didn't hurt so bad when he did go running off to 'talk' to Kikyo. She finished her thoughts with a heavy sigh and a shake of her head to clear it. As she walked up to the hut where everyone was she placed a fake 'Kagome' smile on her face and acted as if nothing had happened.
After dinner Kagome and Sango cleaned up with Shippou helping, he then tugged on her skirt looking up and asking "Kagome, do you have any of that sweet stuff left?" She smiled down at him and nodded, walking over to her bag and flipping it open, she remembered that she had something else for him. "Oh I forgot about this too." She said to him as she pulled a book and a small box that rattled a little when she laid it on the ground. "What is it?" Looking at it suspiciously and then back up at Kagome, "It's a coloring book and crayons, you take the crayon and color in the pictures in the book." She replied to him, but seeing that he was still confused she said "Here I'll show you." Flipping open the book to a spot that had a page for each of them to color, she then opened the box of crayons and poured them on the ground next to the coloring book, she took one her favorite color, red, and began to color in a small part of the picture. Shippou watched her intently and then followed her demonstration. "Wow, this is neat, and fun." (Yeah, Yeah, I know Shippou actually already know what that stuff is because he colored pictures for Kaede in the episode "Two hearts, one mind" but in my story he hasn't discovered them yet, 'cause I thought it would be cute to put in there and help to get Kagome's mind off of everything else.) Kagome smiled at the Kitsune and then went back to her coloring.
After finishing her coloring and watching Shippou color a few more pages, he asked her to tear one out and then pointing to another one and said proudly "This one's for you Kagome." Inspecting the beautiful display of colors and was surprised that Shippou had gotten the hang of the technique and barley went out of the lines at all she replied "Thank you Shippou it's beautiful." Hugging him she picked up the crayons and book and placed them back in her bag. When she turned around Shippou had disappeared, shrugging she went to get her bed ready. A few minutes later Shippou bounded back into the hut with a huge, very cute almost puppy like smile on his face, he then curled up next to Kagome under her sleeping bag and said "G'night Kagome." Through a small yawn. She smiled and replied her good night back to him and then to everyone else in the room. After a few minutes of silence Kagome spoke again "Shippou?" "Hmmm." He responded. "What did you do with that picture that I tore out of the book for you?" He was quiet for a second and then answered very quietly "I gave it to Inuyasha, to cheer him up, he seems kinda sad." With that he drifted to sleep leaving a shocked Kagome. She just stared at his small form for a second but then quickly shook her head forced herself to sleep before her thoughts started.
The entire hut was awakened by a scream and a girl's voice yelling. "Get away you stinking demon, I'll kill you!" Kagome jumped up out of her bed nearly tripping over Shippou as he was groggily trying get up. "I'm sorry Shippou." She said as she scooped him up in her arms and surveyed what was going on, Miroku and Sango stood next to her, while Kirara was standing in front of them in case she was needed. What the group saw was the eldest girl that they had rescued with a dagger in her hand and yelling and running towards the doorway of the hut. She stopped in her tracks when Kagome spoke, "What's going on?" She questioned. The girl turned staring at them all wide eyed while the other girl was sitting against the wall watching everything intently. "There was a demon here, I saw him, he was standing over you, and I almost got him, but he ran out before I could reach him." She exclaimed, watching warily at everyone's reactions. "A demon?" Miroku repeated, looking from the girl to Kagome and then Sango, and watched as realization dawned on all of them. Kagome then walked to the door and peered out, there she found Inuyasha standing flat against the side of the hut, as if he'd disappear if he pressed him self against it hard enough.
Kagome grabbed his hand and led the wide eyed hanyou back into the hut. "You!!" the girl yelled and lifted her arm that was holding the dagger towards him. "Stop!" Kagome said forcefully the girl, watching her closely as she lowered her dagger before she finished. "This is Inuyasha, he's not a demon, well he is, but he's only half, and he's a friend, we're all friends, we found you girls outside a village injured so we brought you back here to a friend to heal you." Still not convinced the girl sneered at Inuyasha and then just snorted "I am not friends with a demon, even if he is only a lowly half breed, besides he does not look very 'friendly'." Inuyasha growled and narrowed his eye when he heard the girl refer to him as a half breed, but Kagome tightened her hold on his arm when she felt him start to move, he looked at her ,then snatching his arm away, angrily walked out of the hut. Kagome and Sango stayed up while everyone else went back to sleep to explain to the girls about everything and reassure them that Inuyasha was 'good' demon and he would not hurt them, though the girls gave no feedback back to them about their history or even their names, but they listened intently to the two woman that seemed so nice. After about an hour of coaxing they finally got the two girls quieted enough to go back to bed, they soon followed suit and fell asleep right away.
Kagome woke to the sounds of footsteps and hushed voices. 'Aarrggghhh, she thought. 'It is way to soon to wake up, I'll just stay here for a little longer.' About a minute went by when she thought again 'Yeah right, if I don't getup now I'll never hear the end of it, besides I can't leave Sango to do breakfast alone.' She then opened her eyes and drug herself out her warm and comfy bed, her body rebelled but she forced to stand, rubbing her eyes and letting them focus she realized she was alone in the hut. 'Good lord where is everyone?' Stepping outside with no sign of anyone she started to walk towards the forest when Kaede brought swinging around to face the voice that had startled her. "They have all gone to do something's for me in the village, Kagome, they will be back later on." She told the girl that stood looking at her questioningly. "Oh my gosh, did I sleep that late?"
She asked totally shocked that Shippou hadn't woke her and even more that Inuyasha hadn't come in yelling at her for being lazy. "Aye child, the others thought it best to let ye sleep this morning after such a long night." She smiled at her then told her that she too had something's to tend to in the village and that she would return later. "There is some tea in the hut on the table; ye make sure those girls drink it." She nodded, but Kaede seeing the girls question on her face she answered. "They are on the hill behind the hut, they are not quite ready to be sociable as of yet." Kagome only nodded again as Kaede walked towards the village, she then walked back inside to her pack and flipped it open, rummaging through its contents she found the object she was looking for. "Ahh there you are my sweet." Kagome said with a little smile on her face as she started to un wrap the cereal bar that she had brought with her the last time she left her time. She then walked back outside and sat in the sun in front of the hut. Finishing the sweet morsel, she sat back against the wall of the hut and just relaxed in the sun, 'wow, she thought, 'it isn't often that I can just sit in the sun by myself and relax, I forgot how peaceful it is.'
Twenty minutes went by and then Kagome noticed that the two girls were standing at the other corner of the hut looking at her with longing on their faces. "Have you girls eaten anything this morning?" The girls replied by shaking their heads no. "Well why not, no one offered you anything?" No response, 'hmmm ok', she stood and went back to her pack and grabbed two more of the cereal bars and brought them back out to the girls, who looked at the strange objects suspiciously and then back at her. "Here, she said. "It's food, try it." As she opened each one and handed them to the girls, they reluctantly took the strange 'food' and tried a bit when nothing happened and they realized they were good, they ate them like a pack of wolves to a feast that hadn't eaten in weeks. Kagome watched in amazement at the girls gobbling their food and asked "How long has it been since you last ate?" The girls shrugged. After they finished their breakfast about ten long minutes of silence dragged by the eldest girl spoke. "Thank you very much for the food, Kagome." Looking over at the girls Kagome smiled and replied "Your welcome." Then a few more minutes of silence stretched by and the girl spoke again this time in a much bolder voice and a rush of words.
"My name is Asami, and this is my friend Sumie, the village that you spoke of last night was our home, we were attacked by a demon in the night." Kagome frowned and asked "If you don't mind me asking why, demons would attack your village, it seemed so simple?" "Yes, that is the way we made it appear so that no one really knew what we did there, the village is, or was really a training place, were are demon exterminators, my father and brother had just killed a large demon earlier that day and had collected two shards of the Shikon no Tama, I believe that is why those demons attacked our village, for that is what they took when they finished ravaging the place, that despicable Naraku is behind this I know it." Asami replied with bitterness in her voice. At this Kagome asked surprised "You know Naraku?"
The girl nodded and explained, "My cousin who was also a great demon exterminator was brought to our village one day very badly injured and before he died he told us of this Naraku and his plot against all living things to retrieve the jewel for him self to become full demon." Kagome then began to tell the girls of their story and history with notorious Naraku and the jewel shards that they had, and then explained everyone's own reasons for joining the fight against Naraku and his minions. Just then the girls heard a snort behind them and leapt up to throw arms around their obviously faithful companion. "Uuri!!!!" Kagome smile then and telling them how the horse had 'attacked' Inuyasha and kept him at bay while the others helped the two girls on to Kirara, and how he's stayed, standing guard the whole time they were unconscious. Asami smiled and hugged the horse again "He probably thought that he was going to hurt us." referring to Inuyasha.
"Care to explain how the likes of you two came to have the company of that type of horse?" Inuyasha asked walking up behind and startling everyone. "What do you mean by 'that type of horse'?" Asami questioned him just as boldly as he had. "Don't act like I don't know wench, I know that horse isn't a horse at all, he's a demon, and they are usually only in the company of lords or very powerful demons!" He snapped back, getting angry that the girl thought him stupid. "I'm sorry, it's just that I am used to covering his true form to humans that don't know any better, and to answer your question, he was my fathers companion, he came a rescued us when the demons were about to kill us." Inuyasha looked at the girl suspiciously "Just how did your father come to possess such a thing, he was not a lord, and your village was miles away from the nearest castle." "Do you think that I am hiding something from you mongrel?" She asked bitterly, Inuyasha's eyes widened and growled "What did you call me?" He questioned his eyes shooting daggers at the girl. "Mongrel, it's a type of dog......" She was cut off when he snapped back at her. "I know what it is you stupid girl!" He growled. "Well do not act as though I am being untruthful or have a reason to lie, you treat me as if I am a common thief, I will not allow a demon to do such a thing." She threw back at the enraged hanyou in a icy tone. "Please forgive him, he doesn't know any better, he really doesn't trust anyone when he first meets them, I think he's calmed down quite a bit considering the first time he met me he tried to kill me." Kagome replied with a smile on her face waving the thought away.
The girls shot Inuyasha a death glare at the information they received from the girl that seemed to be used to his actions, Asami then looked down at Kagome and finished her earlier conversation, totally ignoring Inuyasha. "I'm not entirely sure, but long ago before I was born and brother was still an infant, my father was traveling with my mother and a few other farmers that had lost their lands to some demon that had decided he wanted it for himself and chased them off. Well one night while he was out searching for food he had stumbled upon a castle.......
I know, I know, what a crappie place to end a chapter, not really a cliff hanger, not really a satisfied ending though either huh? Oh well you'll get the next chapter soon......:O)