CHAPTER SEVEN
*
I'm going to catch a cold, Kagome thought, huddling against the hard, damp wall. Water was dripping down from cracks in the ceiling of the cave. Her short, thin uniform was almost soaked.
Chills ran down her spine as an unearthly shriek rang out. Kagome shrank back against the wall as something flew by... followed by a streak of silver and red. Inuyasha! she thought, creeping closer to the exit. Outside, there was nothing but treetops, and little swirls of mist.
Then she saw something dark swoop down toward her, and barely got back in time. A squawking reptilian head slammed into the small cave entrance, struggling to get into the tiny space. Then suddenly it was dragged out, and the squawking was silenced.
Then Inuyasha sprang in. His hands were bloodstained, and he was breathing hard.
Oh man, Kagome thought, cringing. Well, at least.... he tried to protect me from that demon...
She watched Inuyasha wipe the blood on his clothing, still breathing hard. He had that look she hated so much -- the look of enjoyment that he got, when he killed as a full demon. It scared her more than any threats could.
Time seemed to crawl in the cave. Inuyasha just sat there and stared at Kagome impassively. And she just looked at him warily from her corner of the cave. Neither one of them spoke.
I'm going to crack, Kagome thought. I'm going to completely lose it. I've been sitting here with him staring at me for hours and hours, and the pressure is getting to me. I'm going to crack...
She tried to stop a yawn, but it escaped. Today has been so stressful... I'm all worn out. But I can't fall asleep, she thought. If I fall asleep...
Before long, Kagome had dozed off.
*
"Hey, excuse me!" Shippo called.
I don't like this, Miroku thought, shrinking behind the boulder. He could see Shippo scampering after the old woman from where he sat. I should have told Shippo to stay while I went...
The woman turned around, and Miroku saw her face for the first time. "Crone" was too kind a term; she was the oldest, most haggard-looking woman he had ever seen in his life. Her face was lined and scarred like the moon, and sagging heavily like worn silk. Her gnarled hand was clutching a staff, and the other... Miroku frowned, and tried to see what it was. Her fingers were obscuring the object.
Shippo bounced over, looking as cute as he could manage. "Scuse me, I'm lost," he announced.
The old woman stared down at him with bloodshot eyes. "You'd better find a place to hide, child," she grated.
"Why's that?" Shippo asked.
"A mad demon is prowling this mountain. He'll kill anything that he finds."
Miroku's eyes widened. Shippo managed to look mildly concerned, as if he didn't already know. "Really? How'd you know that?" he said.
"I know. Now go, and hide yourself." The old woman turned away and started hobbling off.
A shadow passed overhead, darkening the fog. Miroku grimaced and automatically clutched at the beads on his wrist. Shippo suddenly shouted, "Yow! What's that? Is that a BIRD?"
The old woman chuckled. "Close enough. Now go on."
"Wait just a minute." Deciding he had hidden long enough, Miroku stepped from behind the rock. The rosary was still tangled in his fingers -- if need be, he would unleash the void in his hand. "I want to speak with you, old woman."
The crone's beady eyes seemed to flash. "A monk. I hadn't known that there were any people living near here."
"I travel," Miroku said shortly. "First of all, I want to know how you know that there is a maddened demon on this mountain. Have you seen him?"
"No, no." The old woman chuckled again. "I haven't seen the beast."
Miroku had the uncomfortable feeling that she was mocking him, toying with him. "Then how do you know about him? Tell me at once. Did you have something to do with his transformation?" he demanded.
The old woman didn't answer. She just smiled at him, with the look of a cat contemplating a crippled mouse.
"If you won't answer that," Miroku said grimly, "then show me what you hold in your right hand."
TO BE CONTINUED
*
I'm going to catch a cold, Kagome thought, huddling against the hard, damp wall. Water was dripping down from cracks in the ceiling of the cave. Her short, thin uniform was almost soaked.
Chills ran down her spine as an unearthly shriek rang out. Kagome shrank back against the wall as something flew by... followed by a streak of silver and red. Inuyasha! she thought, creeping closer to the exit. Outside, there was nothing but treetops, and little swirls of mist.
Then she saw something dark swoop down toward her, and barely got back in time. A squawking reptilian head slammed into the small cave entrance, struggling to get into the tiny space. Then suddenly it was dragged out, and the squawking was silenced.
Then Inuyasha sprang in. His hands were bloodstained, and he was breathing hard.
Oh man, Kagome thought, cringing. Well, at least.... he tried to protect me from that demon...
She watched Inuyasha wipe the blood on his clothing, still breathing hard. He had that look she hated so much -- the look of enjoyment that he got, when he killed as a full demon. It scared her more than any threats could.
Time seemed to crawl in the cave. Inuyasha just sat there and stared at Kagome impassively. And she just looked at him warily from her corner of the cave. Neither one of them spoke.
I'm going to crack, Kagome thought. I'm going to completely lose it. I've been sitting here with him staring at me for hours and hours, and the pressure is getting to me. I'm going to crack...
She tried to stop a yawn, but it escaped. Today has been so stressful... I'm all worn out. But I can't fall asleep, she thought. If I fall asleep...
Before long, Kagome had dozed off.
*
"Hey, excuse me!" Shippo called.
I don't like this, Miroku thought, shrinking behind the boulder. He could see Shippo scampering after the old woman from where he sat. I should have told Shippo to stay while I went...
The woman turned around, and Miroku saw her face for the first time. "Crone" was too kind a term; she was the oldest, most haggard-looking woman he had ever seen in his life. Her face was lined and scarred like the moon, and sagging heavily like worn silk. Her gnarled hand was clutching a staff, and the other... Miroku frowned, and tried to see what it was. Her fingers were obscuring the object.
Shippo bounced over, looking as cute as he could manage. "Scuse me, I'm lost," he announced.
The old woman stared down at him with bloodshot eyes. "You'd better find a place to hide, child," she grated.
"Why's that?" Shippo asked.
"A mad demon is prowling this mountain. He'll kill anything that he finds."
Miroku's eyes widened. Shippo managed to look mildly concerned, as if he didn't already know. "Really? How'd you know that?" he said.
"I know. Now go, and hide yourself." The old woman turned away and started hobbling off.
A shadow passed overhead, darkening the fog. Miroku grimaced and automatically clutched at the beads on his wrist. Shippo suddenly shouted, "Yow! What's that? Is that a BIRD?"
The old woman chuckled. "Close enough. Now go on."
"Wait just a minute." Deciding he had hidden long enough, Miroku stepped from behind the rock. The rosary was still tangled in his fingers -- if need be, he would unleash the void in his hand. "I want to speak with you, old woman."
The crone's beady eyes seemed to flash. "A monk. I hadn't known that there were any people living near here."
"I travel," Miroku said shortly. "First of all, I want to know how you know that there is a maddened demon on this mountain. Have you seen him?"
"No, no." The old woman chuckled again. "I haven't seen the beast."
Miroku had the uncomfortable feeling that she was mocking him, toying with him. "Then how do you know about him? Tell me at once. Did you have something to do with his transformation?" he demanded.
The old woman didn't answer. She just smiled at him, with the look of a cat contemplating a crippled mouse.
"If you won't answer that," Miroku said grimly, "then show me what you hold in your right hand."
TO BE CONTINUED