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Let Me Keep the Fire

Mind Games 8
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Dawn broke silently over the snow and ice covered world, light chasing away the dark night. The sun's ancient light seeking to bring warmth to her children danced across the ice and tall man- made towers of steel. Cutting through the thick black-blue clouds and chasing away the last strands of night interwoven with the shadows, the stars, restless with unknown age, faded slowly to the light, traveling back to the long night of the universe.

The golden orb's slender rays pressed through the heavy drawn blinds, peering into the still dark and silent house. The ghosts of shadows lifted themselves up and wandered away to find darker spots to sleep as motes of dust dance in the rays of light.

The soft golden light caressed the sleeping face of a young half-breed who had seen more misery and despair in his life than many had in several life times.

Inuyasha stirred slightly, his breath catching in his throat, his chest screaming its blind agony at his already flooded senses. His eyes opened only to close again as a soft cry escaped his torn, bruised lips, the frail light coming from the windows as the sun that just graced the sky drifted across the unlikely pair.

He forced his eyes back open. A few tears trickled from the golden depths as he struggled to make out where he was. The last thing in his fuzzy mind was the bitter cold snow piling up on him and the iced over edge of the well.

A few dark memories were blasted from his mind, ones he hoped he would forget.

Kagome was her usual mad self, yelling the subduing word to the rosary around his neck and sent him plummeting forward into the rocky ground. His pained cry could be heard from the prone position as she stomped off, leaving him alone. He stayed there, feeling the blood trickle down his now broken nose, wetting the rocky, barren earth. She never knew how badly she had hurt him all the times she had said the word in anger.

He winced at the thought, trying to push it from his mind to no avail. Maybe she would never know how much it hurt.

His conscience reminded with him of all the times something like that had happened, his shattered heart begged to differ. Even now where she had fallen asleep by his side, he could feel her face pressed into his chest.

His unbroken hand released its death grip on the sheet below him, shaking slightly, hesitant. Smooth warm stands of midnight fell through his fingers as he rested his hand on her head lightly. For a few second his eyes cleared, free of the pain that haunted his every moment before clouding again.

He clenched his jaw in silent agony, before falling back into the dark void once again.

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She let her light burn well into the early cold morning, listening to Inuyasha's labored painful breathing, holding his now, warm limp hand and winced every time the air moved in his chest.

Long, silver hair shimmered in the few, warm rays of sun; even now a faint shadow of pain disturbed the soft features of the injured youth lying deathly still.

Her face rested against his erratically moving chest, gently clutching at the quilt that lay around him, tears wetting the cloth.

"Inuyasha, please don't leave me...Hold on…just hold on," she sobbed, though she knew he could not hear the gently spoken words of love from the deep chasm of unconscious he was in.

He moaned softy, shifting slightly under her.

She had thrown his back out, a few months ago, that it came back like a bad dream. She had actually physically hurt him, badly. The way he walked so stiffly, his jaw clenched tightly, why didn't she see the pain in his eyes. Much less the way he had trouble moving. It must have pained Inuyasha greatly yet he said nothing.

How many times did I hurt you like that? How could I have not seen it? Kagome buried her face in his chest, letting her sorrow filled the dead air of the house.

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Back to the feudal world

The snow was freshly churned into to a thick, icy slush from the countless feet of scavenges that had come to feast on the carcass of the horse. Great, gapping holes were opened in many areas as the sharp fangs broke the frozen flesh up, striping it to the bone.

Sango kneeled by the pile of frozen flesh; her steady trained eyes studied the ground, searching out any tracks leading away from the horse's remains.

The snow had hidden most the trail, making it less visible. Bits of silver hair were caught in the lower branches of a tree leading in the general direction of the well; she hoped the hanyou had enough sense to get to the safety of the well in time.

She straitened, brushing the light coat of snow off her armor before turning back to the waiting Kirara. The others had been left back at a small village with the reason that Kirara could move faster carrying only her. There was also the little thing about what she secretly dreaded that she did not want Shippo to know. The sad frozen remains of their friend in the snow.

Tightening her grip on self-restraint, Sango slowly walked forward, her eyes never leaving the barely visible trial in the snow. Here and there were tiny red rubies of frozen blood, gleaming brightly in the vast expanse of white. Her hand tightened on the leather strap of the boomerang slung over her back. Who ever did this might still be near by; at least she hoped they were.

The snow started to fall again, tiny white snowflakes danced through the gaps in the tree bare branches, slowly covering her only trial.

Time would not be on her side again.

She returned to the waiting Kirara. At least Kagome had managed to get the badly wounded half-breed to her time, but it didn't raise the heavy weight that hung in her chest.

She had found the well hours ago. The area around the snowy well was badly disturbed, and stands of soft silver hair and bone-white cloth were tangled in the ice. Frozen blood gleamed in the snow under the changing sky as the thick blue-black clouds returned, blacking out the frail sunlight. A small amount of remotely good news had lifted a massive weight from around the small group, there was still no way of knowing what kind of shape Inuyasha was in... much less if he was still in the world of the living.

There was nothing they could do now but wait for any news of weather Inuyasha lived…….or he was alive and healing on the other side to the well under Kagomes care.

All they could do now was wait, hope and pray he was alright.

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