CHAPTER 11: A TRUCE

Inuyasha smashed a tree in half with his fist, and growled loudly. He sliced another with his claws. Nearby, Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and our favorite clay pot watched as the hanyou took out his frustration on the forest. The splintering and cracking of woods could be heard all around, and had little forest creatures scampering for cover. At least that made him feel marginally better.

How the fuck could this happen? How could they be so weak? They've been doing this for years! And yet, they now had only two shards. TWO. How many did they have before? Three, and now they had two. What the fuck was going on?! Inuyasha grounded another tree. He was mad, frustrated, and very weary. And that is not a very good combination, no sir-ree. And what made matters worse is that Kikyou had not helped. At ALL. She stood by and watched as if they were some side show of freaks jumping around for the entertainment of strangers. The least she could do was fire an arrow for Kami's sake! But try as he might, he just couldn't...he just couldn't push her away. Yet you could push Kagome away... no! He was not going on that guilt trip again. He had done that to himself too many times. He needed to move on, get past her. Besides she hated him now, he was sure. But how many times had he stood by the well, oh so close to jumping in and begging for all he was worth? Yeah right, he wasn't worth much now. Matter of fact, he was worth shit. He put Kagome through years of hell, for what? To break her heart? Exactly.

"Inuyasha, we must be moving," Miroku spoke, he voice firm yet tired. He grew weary of Inuyasha's tantrum.

Inuyasha whirled on the monk in fury, claws ready. "What for? To lose another jewel shard? What's the point Miroku?! We're losing and we can't stop it!"

Shippou cowered in Sango's arms, and Sango looked down in guilt. He only spoke truth. Yet Miroku's patience was running thin. Inuyasha had been on this tirade for days now, and it was getting childish.

The monk walked up to the fuming hanyou, and did something that would have shocked Sesshomaru himself. He slapped him. Right across the face, clear and sharp, leaving what Sango did to him. But it was not Sango's temper that drove him, but a cold impatience for Inuyasha's antics, and an anger that had been brewing since Kagome's departure. And Inuyasha stood there, shocked beyond words, eyes wide. He gently brought a hand to his face, and winced at the swelling that was already starting. He meant to curse the monk to hell, but froze under his friend's penetrating glare and brittle iciness.

"Stop it Inuyasha. Just stop." Miroku rounded on the rest of the group now, making his secret beloved flinch and even had Kikyou draw her breath. "What are we doing?! What have we BECOME? I understand everything has changed, I went through it myself. But just what ARE WE? Are we giving up this easily? Just because we don't have shards doesn't mean we have a purpose, a common goal. And we all know what it is. Naraku. This isn't about a stupid jewel anymore! Yes that's what we thought brought us here, but in truth, it was all Naraku."

Miroku brought his gaze back to Inuyasha, who actually cowered before the monk, and had his heart pacing. "Look at you Inuyasha. When I first met you, you had an attitude that couldn't be broken no matter how many times you were put down. But guess what? You pathetic now! You-are-nothing! You have no will for what matters. And you Sango, when I met you, you had a sight for revenge. But where has that gone? Where is the woman that I saw? I'll tell you. Gone. Oh you still have a temper, no doubt, but you have no spirit left. And the rest of you! All of you, where have the people I met gone to? Where are the people that I fought proudly with? I certainly don't see them, all I see are some washed up fighters who have no future in sight for them because they don't want to see it."

The monk crossed his arms, and collected his cold temper, slicing Inuyasha with a glare as he passed by him. "I'm going to do what I have to do, and that's fight Naraku and lift my curse. If any of you feel so inclined, don't hesitate to join me."

And with that, Miroku left them in the demolished forest, his broad back nothing but a shadow over the crest of a hill. Sango was the first to come from her stupor, blinking rapidly to prevent the tears that wanted to come. He was right, he was beyond right. She looked down at Shippou in her arms and at her shaking hands. What have they become? What were they to do about it? Shippou looked up at her worriedly as her hand tightened into a fist and she stared at it determinedly. It wasn't supposed to be this way. And damn if she'll let it. She raised her head to spy a dumbfounded Inuyasha staring blankly at Miroku's retreating form.

"He's right Inuyasha," Sango whispered, bringing the hanyou's attention to her. "We are pathetic. But I know one thing. Kagome wouldn't have wanted it this way."

And with that last word, Sango turned and jogged to catch up to Miroku. When she came upon him, he turned his head to see her, and she was the relief flood to his eyes. She blushed at his boldness, but even more at hers. For she reached down to squeeze his hand reassuringly.

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And she left that one phrase rotating through Inuyasha's, head, over and over again. And it made him realize just how weak and pathetic he had become. Stiffening his spine, Inuyasha followed after his friends, Kikyou somewhat behind him, not one thing fazing her, not one action penetrating her cold demeanor.

There was a scream, so loud so shrill that the village next over heard it, and sent murmurs fluttering from mouth to mouth. A scream that was heard for miles around, it was filled with fear and pain. And it was this scream that all our heroes heard, for unknowingly to them, they had all been heading to the same destination from opposite directions. Their heads snapped up at the scream's piercing pitch and had them running to investigate. Inuyasha's group was first to arrive surprisingly, to a scene of carnage. Bodies were ripped limb from limb, and blood sprayed across huts in an artistic design for the sick minded. Earth was torn, and a few villagers ran desperately from the horrible fate the monster had in store for them. And here is where our monster emerged. His body came from the covering of a hut, taking a leisurely in running down his prey. He was like what you saw in the movies, a massive lizard of unworldly proportions. His bulky body walked on all fours, with strangely wolf like feet. His entire body was covered in spikes, and the only soft flesh above his belly were the tentacles that came from the base on his skull. His yellow eyes shone with hunger, and a black forked tongue lulled from a drooling mouth of jagged teeth, and his two tails whipped anything behind him to debris.

Inuyasha cringed from the scent of blood and death, the screams of women ringing in his ears. He took it upon himself to charge first, drawing Tetsusagia with practiced ease.

"Hey ugly! Look up!" Inuyasha came down on the thing's head just as it was able to look up at him, and sparks flew as his sword made contact with spikes. But no blood was shed, and no flesh was cut. Inuyasha growled. This isn't going to be easy.

And it was here that the other group came upon the death, all three stopping in their tracks as the scent of blood wafted at them. Kagome choked for a second but gained her composure easily, and whipped her head from side to side in search of the trouble. When she spotted it she gasped.

"Inuyasha!" she whispered, old habits dying hard. Kouga looked up at this, and snorted.

"Looks like we got here too late. Let it go Kagome, its their fight now."

"what?!" she cried, making Kouga wince. "are you insane?"

"They're just humans, leave'em!" Ayame tried desperately to quiet her mate, as she sensed kagome's growing anger. Unseen to the eye, her aura flared dangerously. She walked right up to Kouga and grabbed the front of his armor, making him yelp.

"I will tell you this once Kouga, I help people, and if you don't want to that's fine. But...I...WILL...BE...SAVING THESE PEOPLE!" she shoved the wolf to the ground and sped to the aid of not only the village, but Inuyasha as well. She drew her sword, and it hummed loudly in reaction to her energy. With a loud cry, surprising Inuyasha, she brought it down upon the monster's neck with a lot of force. But she gasped as it had no effect but jamming her blade into the creases between its spikes. She quickly jumped away as it rounded on her and tried to snap at her. She huffed as she landed.

"Ha! Not so mighty now huh?" Inuyasha gloated, finally able to see the 'oh so great Blind Miko' get side tracked.

If she didn't have her blind fold, she would have killed him with her glare. "Like your doing any better?"

He only growled at her as she ran to improvise, and the lizard came down upon him with a giant claw.

She needed a weapon, anything. She searched in and out of huts, the noises of battle behind her. Oh how she itched to be there. But she couldn't go unprepared. But as she came upon a tool shed, she grinned in triumph. Leaping from its, demolished roof, she spun the chain in her hand as she came down again. Kagome ran to battle again, the chain she found spinning dangerously in her hand.

"Hey dog boy! Move!" she called as she sped towards them, and Inuyasha only had time to yell at her before dodging a chain streaking past his head. He meant to rant at her, but a massive howl caught his attention and he turned to see the chain had wrapped around the lizard's neck several times, and it was currently trying to yank free. Kagome smiled and leaned back for leverage. Just she wanted, it flung its head up and yanked her with it, and she gracefully flipped on to its neck, avoiding any hazardous spikes that wanted to kill her. Quickly, she flung the chain in a loop before the thing's open mouth and tugged hard before it could close it again.

The phrase 'ride'em cowgirl!' would have been totally inappropriate at the moment, but right then, that's what she could do. The giant beast bucked and turned, trying to free itself of its unwelcome rider. Kagome struggled to keep her grasp on the chain, but the strength of the lizard was immense, and she was having difficulty. Damn he was a tough bastard!

All Inuyasha's group could do was watch in amazement as the Blind Miko hung on for dear life! Or that's what it looked like to them. She grimaced in frustration as the chain was yanked from one hand, but she grabbed it quickly. She turned to her side.

"a little help here!" she yelled at no one it seemed, and continued to fight the beast. Suddenly, the lizard was jerked to a stop, and its rear quarters jerked down. It turned its head to find two very strong wolf demons gripping each one of its tails and were pulling for all they were worth. Kouga gritted is teeth, and Ayame dug her feet in. the earth under them dug up as the thing pulled them forward slightly and slowly. Kagome took a breath and reined in the beast with the chain, tugging forcefully on its head till she had it raised. She wrapped the chain tighter around her arms, and held on tight.

"Inuyasha! Now!" she yelled at the still hanyou, and her words snapped him attention. He shook his head and focused at the task at hand. But what did she want him to do? He looked down to find the thing's throat was exposed, and he could make out the faint pulsing of its veins. The soft flesh.

He grinned, and held up his fang sword, then leaped to action. With a hefty swing, he sliced through the tender tissue of the thing's under belly, and it collapsed to the ground instantly. Kouga and Ayame were flung back, and Kagome went flying over the dead lizards head, but landed appropriately on her feet smoothly. She walked over and tugged and pulled until her sword was free from the body, and sheathed it.

Kagome walked over to the now standing wolves. "Thank you."

Kouga huffed, but softened when Ayame elbowed him. "Ah, we couldn't let you do this on your own you know."

"Wait! Hold on! Hold on for one damn minute! Since when the hell do you trust complete strangers?!" Inuyasha shouted at Kouga as he stomped over, sheathing Tetsusuagia. What the hell was that wolf doing?

Kouga glared at the hanyou and snorted, crossing his arms. "What's it to you? I have my reasons."

Inuyasha growled as he rounded on Kagome, "and didn't I tell you I wasn't letting you have his shards?"

She stiffened, "and didn't I tell you I didn't go to him for his shards?"

Inuyasha was about damn ready to pounce her wench ass if she didn't stop with her attitude. But he paused as she continued to look his way, a considering quirk to her brow. "What the hell are you looking at?" (Yeah, real smart)

Her lips tugged, "how can I look if I can't see?"

Kouga snorted loudly and Inuyasha growled. "Then what do you want?"

She turned fully to him, lips pursed, and he tensed. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. It just might be a goods idea. And besides, it would stop their fighting for awhile.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could join you on your quest."

Both Inuyasha and Kouga fell over, and the rest gasped. But the two demons recovered quickly to yell at her. "Are you kidding me?!"

She smiled, making Inuyasha's breath stop. He knew that smile... "Well, no. I think it a good idea. If we join up, we might be able to collect shards faster."

Inuyasha shook his head from his train of thought, and tensed his fists. "You're joking right? And why would I want to join with you?"

She placed her hands on her hips, jerking a thumb over her shoulder, "was I not the one to help you with this little problem?"

Inuyasha was about to retort when a hand slapped on his shoulder. He turned to find Miroku. "It would be an honor for you to join us."

"Miroku!" this from Sango and Inuyasha. Inuyasha, "are you crazy monk?! Has your lecherous side finally got to you?"

But Miroku fixed him with a firm look, "no, Inuyasha, I was thinking more along the lines of how this could benefit us."

Inuyasha was about to fight with this, but Miroku squeezed his shoulder tightly, and made him reconsider. He had to admit, the woman was good, at fighting and killing. And she did have more shards than them. With her close by, he could watch over those shards. And it was strange, but for some reason, his mind was screaming at him to do it. But pride fought with it. He looked her over. What...what was it about her that got to him? It was just beyond his reach, he knew, but it evaded him. If she stayed with them, maybe he could find the answer. He narrowed his eyes, but straightened his spine.

"Alright, I'll team with you, but if anything happens that I find funny, I will not hesitate to kill you."

She quirked a brow before smiling slowly. "Fair enough. Shake?"

She held out her hand, and offering to him, a truce. He eyed before slowly taking it. Neither showed it, but the moment their hands touched, a shock went through each, making them jerk their hands away in what would seem distrust. But to them, it was something else.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::hello people, I'm at my aunts house and im using her laptop. One word of advice, do not type for a long period of time on a laptop and lean your wrists on it while typing. Its burns.

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