Disclaimers—I don't own Inuyasha or its characters, though I am using them for non-profitable entertainment purposes.

Warning—Angst

Author's Note—Reviews are always appreciated and wanted. An ego boost is just what I need. Or you flame me—whatever. Just enjoy.

-Chapter 3: Devout Rescuers-

Sobs and cries ran out through the suddenly hollow air. Staring up in complete shock, Sango and Shippo barely heard the heart-wrenching screams coming from their fallen friend. They also didn't seem to notice as the villagers began to fade away as though they were just made of sand and dust. Slowly, Sango managed to turn her gaze back to Miroku, who was no longer there. Eyes widened as she spun her form around, finding that they were somewhere else. They stood in the middle of a blackened hall, no one around. Inuyasha was no longer seen hung where he was. However, after several moments, the odd man from before stepped forward, Inuyasha in his arms.

Inuyasha was just as badly hurt, as he was when he hung from the post. He didn't so much as stir in the man's arms, leaving Kagome's heart to sink, a wave of nausea accompanying the feeling. "This is your friend?" A sickening laugh left the man's lips before he shifted forms. Instead of a tall man, there was now an overpowering serpent. Its body was a pale blue while it held the same dangerous blood-red eyes. Its body was coiled around Inuyasha, who still refused to show any signs of life.

"Do you expect to see such a creature again? Such an unworthy specimen—neither demon nor human." the serpent asked simply.

Kagome, who was trying hard to compose herself, though still couldn't take her eyes from Inuyasha, nodded slowly before speaking as though something were trying to choke her, "Where is he?"

Yet another laugh came from the demon as he tightened his grip on Inuyasha, "He hides in wait with me. Though, if you even manage to find us, there is a good chance he'll already have wasted away."

At that, Kagome jumped up, suddenly finding strength in her worry and fear as she grabbed a hold of the serpent's tail. There was a crackling of energy as she yelled, "Where the hell is he?!"

He kept silent before turning sharply as though something were behind him. There was a familiar scream in the background before the serpent cried out and disappeared with Inuyasha.

Around them, there was once again light. Around them still stood the village, though where Inuyasha had been strung up, there was only ash and there was no sign of any villagers. The wind rushed by the stunned figures, though it was only the three of them that stood within the grounds. There was no sign of human life anywhere else; regardless that everything else seemed to be perfectly fine.

Kagome stared blankly after the serpent and Inuyasha, her heart wrenching as tears welled in her eyes again. She felt helpless before Shippo's voice rang through the air, "I got his scent!"

She looked back sharply to the grown kitsune before her tears fell down her cheeks. However, a smile grew over her lips as she looked down at him, "Which way?"

--

They neared a deserted gravesite, Shippo ahead of the group, sniffing the air diligently. There was a cave close-by, its entrance partially covered with moss and vines—however, there were many signs of recent disturbances.

As the small, shaken group neared the cave, voices could be heard as well as noised that would indicate a battle. Through the moss, someone was suddenly thrown, colliding with Sango. She fell back while grasping to the violet clad monk. "Miroku!" Shippo cried, recognizing him immediately. The monk strained for a moment before staggering and looking around him, hastily trying to help Sango when he realized she was what cushioned his fall—only to have her help him instead.

"Where's Inuyasha?!" came Kagome's frantic voice as she suddenly made herself known to the unsuspecting monk.

"Lady Kagome? Is it really you…?" He paused before shaking his thoughts clear. "A demon has Inuyasha…but how did you know he was here?"

Shippo proudly took center stage and said with the utmost confidence, "I picked up on Inuyasha's scent and I led us all here."

Kagome wasn't an audience to Shippo's announcement though, as the others found she had already run head long into the depths of the cave, her mind driven by her fear for the one person that had plagued her dreams all those years since she had left. Her feet collided harshly with the wet stone before finding that there was, indeed, a pale serpent taking hold of the unconscious hanyou. "Let him go, you bastard snake!" Kagome cried as she stopped in front of the towering demon, only to be met with an eerie laugh.

"Hand over the Shinkon no Tama and all will be forgotten and he shall be safely on the ground by your side."

Though it would have made sense at one point, no negotiations were to be met as Kagome once again took hold of the serpent's tail. The purifying miko power that flowed through her ran into the serpent, making him wither and shriek in pain. Kagome's fear fueled her energy, causing the vibrant glow to encircle the snake, coating him from tail to head.

Smoke started to rise off the demon before it simply fell dead—years of maturing power finally found its outlet. The serpent had barely stood as opposition for the miko hidden within Kagome. Nothing was about to stop her from saving the one creature that had always saved her and had come to her rescue. She wasn't about to give up on Inuyasha, too stubborn to believe he was already dead.

As the serpent fell, the flesh began to evaporate from its very bones, leaving Inuyasha's limp body to fall into the deteriorated carcass. Without so much as a show of hesitation, Kagome lunged into the pile, pushing her way through the tangle of bones and decaying innards to reach Inuyasha. By this point, Miroku, Sango and Shippo had entered the cave after her, Miroku leaning heavily on Sango. There seemed to be a bad leg wound burdening him.

Tears began to flow again down Kagome's cheeks the closer she got to the fallen hanyou. Never before had she seen him so badly beaten and bruised. It made her heart sink when she finally fell to her knees next to him—now able to give closer inspection to his state. "Inuyasha…?" she questioned tentatively. Silence followed her words. Her throat began to constrict as she stifled a sob, brushing a few short strands of bloodied hair from his face. In so doing, her heart skipped a beat as she felt hot breath wash against her hand. "Inuyasha!"

She leaned down hastily, putting an ear to his chest, where she picked up on a faint heartbeat. It was weak, but still there. Turning quickly to her friends, she called for their aid. She needed to get him out of there. She needed to bring him somewhere safe where they could tend to his wounds. She needed to do something.

Shippo quickly came to her aid since Sango was obviously burdened under Miroku's weight. Now with his gained height and weight, Shippo found that helping Kagome with Inuyasha didn't seem as great an issue as it had once been.

Drawing Inuyasha up by his arms and legs, they carefully moved him from the cave, followed closely by the monk and slayer. Carrying him away from the opened grave site, Inuyasha was carried into the forest. They weren't close enough to Kaede's village for it to be any use—and they weren't willing to take the chance of confrontation by bringing the injured hanyou near nightfall into another village.

Taking care to move with soft steps, the small group continued to wander into the forest before settling under a large oak tree, the base of which was coated with a soft layer of moss. Setting both Inuyasha and Miroku down, worries were advanced to how to tend to the wounded leg, but more importantly, the battered hanyou.

--

Fire's Tempest: I'm really sorry about the long delay for the update. I just felt the need to post something, if nothing else right now. I really appreciate all the comments I get from you all. Thanks a bunch.

Inuyasha: Feh. If you weren't such a slacker, this would go a lot more smoothly.

Fire's Tempest twitches before turning slowly to send a death glare at the hanyou.

Kagome gives an exasperated sigh while shaking her head at the two bickering cohorts, "Please review."