Chapter 14: Kara za Ueki, Temaeune Komu tameni Otaku (From the Trees, We'll Come for You)
Kami help her! She couldn't breathe!
Her heartbeat all but exploding in her ears, Kagome's hand padded itself down on her chest in an attempt to comfort the sore, overwhelming pain! It felt hollow beneath her fingertips, and she could feel that air being desperately sucked in, only to come whooshing out in a rush, leaving her empty again! Her lungs felt like the embers of Hell itself were licking venomously at their tender tissues!
She had to stop... just for a moment!
She came to an abrupt halt, kicking up a petty cloud of powdered dust below her blistered, aching feet. As she watched the other ninjas lash fervently onward through the underbrush, slashing back tree limbs and fluidly leaping in grand bounds, she sighed dispiritedly. She was no match for the speed of the others and their inhuman powers, and knew that no one would really notice if she fell behind: it wasn't the youkai way.
Deep down, she didn't expect anyone to stop for her; she was a ninja to them, after all! She was supposed to be able to hold her own. She groaned, sitting down on the grass underfoot, and began massaging her soles through her flexible blue boots. The pain was dull and unwavering under her palms, and she knew she would be left behind in the middle of who-KNEW-where because of it, but what other option did she have? She couldn't run any further without a rest!
One could imagine her wonder, then, when she saw a figure flying back along the silent trail to meet her! It was the neko she had spoken to at dinner; Kirara was her name. She knelt down on her knee and peered at Kagome in confusion for a time, before realization dawned on her.
"Can you run further?" she asked.
Kagome shook her head, and breathed heavily against her pulled-down mask.
Kirara examined her ningen friend's soles, then tugged Kagome to her feet. "It isn't that serious. Come on." With that, she began pulling her companion along, despite Kagome's wild flailing and cries of anguish as her feet were forced into pounding down on the ground again.
Kagome was in tears as Kirara's firm fingers gripped her wrist and pulled her along through the air as the yasha leapt over root and vine effortlessly! Sadly, unlike her fellow ninja, Kagome's feet felt the searing as they were plucked off the earth only to smash hard against it during the landing at the end of each leap!
"What are you doing?!" Kagome whimpered raucously. "It HURTS!!!"
"Calm down, we're almost caught up to the others, Youchi!"
Kagome's brows drew downward defensively at the implication! She was no child! How dare this creature call her an infant! "What are you saying?!" she growled testily, still feeling the sting in her feet, but choosing to ignore it for the time being.
"Listen," Kirara replied, still yanking the disadvantaged ningen along, "I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news for you, but if you can't run with a few little blisters on your soles, what makes you think you can be a ninja? I'm not saying you have to run like a youkai – after all, you are only human; that kind of speed is beyond your natural capacity – but you still have to run as best as you're able!"
Kagome clamped her stormy mouth shut lest she outpour a string of words she would later regret. Besides, Kirara's words were true; harsh and cut-throat, but true, regardless. So, she closed her eyes and continued to feel the wrenching in her feet. Then, as she concentrated on her footing, she felt something snap inside her, like a bubble bursting! At that moment, she glared at Kirara with cold, determined eyes.
"Let go!" she said, commandingly.
Taking no heed of the girl's demand, Kirara suddenly felt the sharpness of her hand being shoved forcefully away from the wrist of her 'charge.' Glancing back over her shoulder as she pushed onward, the neko saw a faint glow appear around Kagome before it faded a split second later! The girl had been lit with an unexplainable fire!! Kirara moved up and away from the girl to ponder the glow in peace, her faint scent of fear going unnoticed by her companions up ahead.
Kagome, meanwhile, could feel the blood rushing through her, and from her toes to her head she felt warmth, all the way to the core of her spine! She could, of course, still feel the sharp ache of the blisters as she glided along, but it was muddled somewhat by the warmth. Having had no idea what was making her feel this way, she knew only that the running seemed suddenly easier because of it, and her legs were swaying back and forth gracefully – like a gazelle, she would imagine from the way she was bounding. Or, perhaps, a demon.
Now that the pain and stress of the exercise was fairly eliminated, Kagome could now focus on the destination. She heard Inuyasha's words echo through her mind and make her body ripple with remembrance. Once he had the attention of the ninja company, she recalled him explaining their mission.
"Reach the Capital. Infiltrate the city. Find out what you can of the defenses, then report back to Sesshoumaru at the treeline to the fields before dawn."
That had been two hours ago, before they had left on their God-forsaken run!
Two hours ago, Kagome had been SITTING! But that didn't matter anymore, as she caught sight of the tree break not so far away now. She couldn't see the others, and a fleeting fear passed over her that she may be lost – in the wrong part of the forest, or worse!
As she sped on toward the treeline, she was abruptly snagged from behind as someone pulled the back of her shinobi! Her legs kicked out in front of her harshly from the momentum she had built up, the long muscles of the limbs stretching, and then she felt herself being thrown up against a tree, where she saw through her mask just who had stopped her.
Immediately, she placed a glazed look into her eyes to try to alter the colour as best as she could. If she could mist them, he wouldn't detect her! But she was thankful for the sweat that coated her from the marching, for it was too salty to allow him to scent her accurately. Her identity was still safe, as long as she kept her damn mouth shut!
Inuyasha put a finger to his lips, and then pointed it to other masked ninjas standing tensely nearby, shadowed in the trees by the edge of the forest. The hand he had used to stop and pin her against the tree with released the fabric of her shoulder, and he withdrew it to his side.
He moved forward stealthily to the very edge of the trees, and stared out over the long fields of rye that lay uncomfortably flat before them. With keen youkai eyes, he and the nekos could spy the bright fires along the outer defensive wall of the city a mile off. The wall was made of powerful, thick stone, and the men that kept watch along it were many. Too many for any of their likings! How were they supposed to get over that wall?!
Strong demons they may be, but they were still too few to win by brute strength! Besides, attacking was NOT their mission. They were here to collect crucial information for the osama! With not only the Eastern army, but also that of its far neighbours to contend with, the West would have their work cut out for them, despite their power!
Desperately, he looked to the river that flowed along the northern side of the wall straight to the northern treeline two hundred-some meters off. No good, for it was too fast-flowing to risk sending anyone in! They would drown before reaching the wall, even if THAT were the end of the mission! Once there, the lucky bastard would still have to get around or over the wall undetected!
Kagome, though unable to see what the demons could due to the lack of light and her human impairment, still had a very reasonable idea of what they saw: a heavily fortified outer wall, ominous and daring. No doubt her company was wracking their brains trying to determine a way of entrance. Here, she could be of great assistance!
Carefully, she inched toward Inuyasha until she was just adjacent to him, while trying to continue being at a respectful distance. Lowly, she whispered, "Milord, there are three small openings in the wall for flooding control in case of heavy rainfall. They empty out in case the low city street fills up. They are all on the South-face side. If we reach them, we should manage to slip through the rock."
Inuyasha turned to look at her, suspicion playing in his eyes. "How do you know?"
"I've been here before," she replied, her sultry tone dipping deeper still with its lowness.
For now, Inuyasha was striving to be content to leave it at that, though his personal curiosity about the mystery woman was perked again. Not to mention his distrust! She could have been a spy! But, then again, she had Sesshoumaru's permission to come along, which meant she was no enemy. He would have to push aside the matter for now. There would be time enough to question later, but right now he had a job to do!
"All right," he replied, and signaled with his fingers to the others, pointing to the South side of the wall.
As they gathered together for instruction, Inuyasha whispered the plan. "Stay low in the rye sheaths. DON'T stand up for ANY reason, unless you plan on getting shot down! Make for the South side, and spread out on the way; we don't want to be one giant patch ripe for the killing!"
They all nodded, and made their cautious, steady way out of the trees, into the vast expanse of "No Man's Land." Kagome, however, remained within the shelter of the trees a minute longer, watching them as the rest of the company wove its way through the field, trying vigilantly to disturb as little of the sheaths as possible, so as not to draw attention to their movements low on the ground.
Then, with a renewed spirit, Kagome glided along the treeline to the part nearest to the riverside. As the river came up ten or so meters from the trees, Kagome jutted out sharply, and threw herself low to the ground in the sheaths! Carefully and quickly, she swaggered along on her hand and knees to the bank of the river. Though she couldn't easily see where the water was through the thick, densely-grown stalks, she moved toward the sound of the rushing current grinding against the riverbanks.
Tentatively, she pushed aside the last few rye stalks obscuring her view of the river. She had made it! Glancing down the river, in the direction of the city, the would-be ninja lowered herself like a snake, face-first, into the running water. Holding onto the bank so as not to be swept up in the current prematurely, she gulped in a mass of air, then ducked under the surface!
Head first, she was dragged swiftly along the stretch of the river! Of course, she knew that Inuyasha would NEVER send any of the others this way, for it was too strong a current for those not accustomed. Kagome had counted on that. However, unlike her youkai companions, Kagome had been swimming in this river since she was a child; she knew how long she could last underwater and how to fight a current! Her mother had called her a water-baby for good reason! Still, she was very relieved that it was nighttime, and the water murky blue to match her shinobi, for in the day, the water would be crystal clear, and she would have been spotted instantly!
'Now,' Kagome thought, watching to her right as the bank suddenly became steeper, 'that's the beginning of the wall. It should be coming up soon.' Stretching her arms out, the hime maneuvered herself right, to be flush against the bank.
Along the thick stone bank, obviously the wall support, a growing black spot appeared. Pursing her lips tightly, Kagome smiled.
'There it is!' she smirked, her mouth firmly shut.
As the blackness grew and was beside her, she pushed once more against the dragging current, and launched herself into the small, underwater gap! It was just tall enough to fit a man kneeling, and wide enough to fit three shoulder-to-shoulder. The battered walls of the aquatic tunnel were plastered with barnacles and silt.
Carefully, cautious of her relenting air supply – though her mask helped preserve it a bit – Kagome tread along in the pitch black, one hand on the left wall and the other on the low roof of the inner tunnel. For what seemed like forever – especially to her lungs – she swam in darkness! When her eyes felt as though they were burning and her lungs screamed for nourishment, she felt her hand on the roof jut up into an air pocket! She could have cried out for joy as her head burst above the surface of the water and she inhaled the life-giving, stale air!
Looking up a few feet, Kagome saw an opening where light poured through. Quietly, she swam over to the rough edge of rock, and hauled her sore and tired body up through the tiny crack. As she grabbed and wrenched her final foot from the hole, she looked up and saw the silent, peaceful alley she was standing in. No one had seen her! No one could follow her and prevent her from finding her father!! She was IN the city!!
The moonlight was pale and shone down brightly on the sheaths, making them look like molten silver as the dry wind swayed them back and forth gently. This could only indicate to Kikyo that the company who had gone ahead to scout out the defenses had some good luck at last!
She looked left, then right, and saw the deathly silent troops amid the tree shadows. They were just off of the treeline, and awaited the return on the ninjas and the osama's command. Speaking of the osama... Kikyo wound her way decisively through the mass of bodies crammed into the shaded confines of the forest. They had joined up with the main forces not a mile ago, and marched swiftly to the Capital border. Though the original plan had been the mass army was to meet the guard here, the larger company had been delayed by a long trek along the Druid range due to a mudslide on a cliff overhanging the mountain pass's main road.
Still, they were here now.
Through the shadows, Kikyo caught sight of her lord, and she sped toward him earnestly. Upon reaching him, as he sat against a tree calmly, she knelt beside him. Her eyes were stars that beamed with hope, and she smiled at him grimly.
"What now, my lord?" she asked, folding her hands neatly in her lap.
"Now we wait for Inuyasha and his company to return with news. Until then, we stay ready."
Kikyo stared gently over the fields from the trees, and sighed at the city. "Koi, will you slay the civilians too? Please say not! It is the soldiers who fight for my father! Don't—!" The tips of Sesshoumaru's left-hand fingers rested upon her pale lips.
"We are not butchers, Kikyo. They will not be harmed if I can prevent it." He breathed, releasing her lips once more to let the fingertips travel along her creamy throat and shoulder, down her arm.
"Sesshoumaru...," Kikyo sighed, worry and indecision licking on her tongue, "did... did Inuyasha take Kagome with him?"
Sesshoumaru peered at her softly, and trailed his wandering hand down to rest upon hers, still nestled nervously in her lap, "He did."
Kikyo's blood ran chill, and she shivered despite herself! Nothing in the world could have prepared her for this moment, even though it had been she who had all but forced Kagome to go! She couldn't help being afraid... After all, her baby sister was out there! How could she live with herself if something terrible were to happen to her?! It would be all Kikyo's fault!
"Koi?" Kikyo quivered, trembling with a sudden, intangible cold. "Will... Will my Kagome-chan come back to me...?"
Sesshoumaru's eyes glimmered dimly. How could he answer her? War meant massacre and death. How could he lie and say that she would return alive doubtlessly? It was neither realistic nor appropriate for keeping his koi's hopes high. He loved her too much to lift her up high only to let her come crashing down afterwards! Better to not say anything than be the instigator of unexpected grief...
His arms reached out to her, and she came to him, resting herself in his placid embrace as the silent tears fell over fresh, pale cheeks.
If war meant death, Sesshoumaru could only pray the victims of it would be those willing to die for what they fought for. Let them die with honour, and Hell will have no power over the souls that spring forth! And he prayed that the victims did not include those he loved...
She had done it! She had made it into the palace undetected, and now to scout about a bit! Mind you, it wasn't exactly where she had been planning on going, but she had never been here before! One couldn't blame her from getting a little disoriented! And besides, what better place to scan the defenses than the palace? Especially if she was able to remain hidden and escape back to the treeline in time! She still had a good twenty minutes before dawn! The information she gathered may end up being a critical advantage!
Sango slithered along the dark shadows of the stairs as she was about to round a corner. Along the corridor she had been ready to turn into she could see three guards leaning on heavy spears and droning on about gossip of this and that around the palace. One of them leaned, instead, on a staff. She signaled to the two other ninjas on the other side of the hall crossway, and warned them of the guards. Raising her index finger and pointing to the ceiling, then two fingers at the guards around the corner, Sango gave the orders.
They nodded affirmative, and leapt up into the support beams of the ceiling. She watched until they reached the centre fold and then inhaled deeply, bracing herself for what she was about to do. Then, the swiftness only experience could bring, she raced forward, across the crossway, taking care to let them hear her footsteps and see her from the corner of their eyes!
Normally, of course, that would be exactly what they WEREN'T supposed to do, but those men were in the ninjas' way, and needed to be eliminated!
Once on the other side of the hall cross, Sango buried herself into the darkness, and pressed herself along the wall. She heard the men approaching, and her heart was pounding in her ears. Could she kill them? She had never killed a human before... All too soon, her deliberating time was up, and the men turned the corner. Sango raised her hand to her companions, and then charged forward, Hiraikotsu in hand, and swung at the first man who lifted his spear! A split second passed before the men found themselves slammed into the ground by two yashas who swung from the beams above their heads!
The nekos made quick work of the two men who had approached, and slit their throats with their ninja-tos! Blood stained the matting at their feet, and Sango went slightly pale at the sight of the men, staring up at the ceiling with glassy, frightened eyes that would not blink again from the nightmare that had just transpired!
From the corner of her eye, she spotted the third guard move – the one with the staff! Only, this man did not approach to avenge his comrades! No, he was rushing away, down the hall! Sango stood still until she was shrieked at by one of the neko ninjas.
"What the HELL are you waiting for, Sango-san?! Go get him before he alerts the whole palace!"
At that, Sango's feet seemed to move on their own, and she soon found herself rounding three separate corners before catching up with the sly escapist! Her frail mortal heart pounded against her chest from her exertions, but she whirled it from her consciousness.
He had not halted in his run simply from her approach. Instead, he carried on, his coarse black robe and forest green sash-cloth rustling drably across his skin beneath. It was then that Sango corrected her misinterpretation; he was no guard. She had judged by association – totally disregarding the garb that he bore, as well as the nature of his staff and its decoration. The gleaming hex-bangles hooped about the metal, swirl-decked ring that was far too distinct to be that of a sentry of ANY kind!
This man was a monk!
Still the enemy, she thought, willing a trembling hand to lift her Hiraikotsu from over her shoulder. Her long, delicate fingers – marred only by a few faint bruises and old, pink calluses from fighting – stretched a firmer grip about the band to prepare for the incoming terminal heave! She raised her weapon slowly and took aim at the man's back. This would kill him, and she knew it...
She swung heavily, as a blitz of light burst across her eyes! All Sango could do was stare ahead of her as the fine wooden weapon, sharpened like a razor on the outer edge to slice through flesh, thrashed through the air and cruelly cut through the man before her in the bright light! She watched the blood ooze and drip in an orgy down his severed waist! She had cut him in two!
As his torso fell from his hips (which followed a moment later) she screamed in utter agony as she saw his face, staring at her with glassy eyes that were gorged with pain, terror, and raw betrayal! His mouth was ajar, his eyes wide, and his cheeks snowy with death. She was looking at a portrait of fear and innocence: the horrendous, tremor price the wave of war was forever destined to wrought.
What had she DONE?!?! She really HAD killed him! Her breathing shallowed to a ghostly breeze as she wept, gaping at the fallen form her beloved little brother...!
He ceased his panicked stride in favour of looking back at his pursuer. He spied her hand first, stilled gripping her weapon tightly. He had head the wisp of the air as she swung it, and had thought his death was imminent, but was pleasantly surprised that she had not released her fingers from the throw-strap. Something inside her must have changed her mind...
It was then that his eyes traveled up her arm, and saw a fine set of square shoulder joining into a long, slender neck. Her face was round – almost to the point of adorably pudgy. Keen brown eyes stared at the hand still holding her weapon. They were vibrant with shock and an incredible tide of horror. Moving up, her ebony hair was pulled up into a most flattering ponytail the swept down to her mid back; that draping line of black brought his eyes down again...
The swell of her chest drew his eyes, and he found his hands twitching in admiration, wanting nothing more than to reach out a squeeze the plump flesh. Knowing promptly that she would have no indecision about killing him on that account, he threw his hands behind his back, clasping them together. Only then did he trust himself to go further with his salacious sweep.
A wonderful, shapely waist gave birth to long, flowing legs that his eyes could drown in! It wasn't the most lean waist he had ever seen, but nonetheless was short and pretty and allowed for more leg, which was always a bonus!
The owner of this illustrious body seemed disoriented and dizzy. Soon enough, her grasp on her weapon loosed and it clattered to the floor. A moment later, and she joined it. Upon her hands and knees she gasped raggedly, and shook as tears leaked from her eyes. He didn't like the look of it one bit! After all, as a monk, he was bound to help people!
So, dignified as always, he swept forward and knelt at her side.
"May I do anything for you?" he asked.
It took a moment for her composure to return to her, and when she regained it, she stared up at him dazedly, looking very much like one awakening from a dream.
"Who are you?" she mumbled, her tongue thick in her throat.
He smiled kindly, all the while his hands itching to move forward. He'd settle for even one! "I am a monk, dear lady. Please, may I assist you in any way?" His smile widened slightly, making her raise her guard a little more than before. "How may I satiate you?"
Sango turned as she felt a warmth resting on her backside. She squealed in disgust, and down came her hand in a mastered stroke! In the place of his hand on her butt, he was graced with a bulging lump upon the crown of his head!
"Try that again," she shrieked, shaking her fist, "and I'll HAVE no second thoughts about killing you!"
He rubbed the bump on his head and winced. Then his eye met hers. A second of bright lightning rushed through them, and both shuddered as they looked away in panic.
"So...," he replied slyly, when the tension could be borne no longer, "you had second thoughts just now, Lady... um...?"
"Sango," she replied. "And yes, I did, though it was not because of you!"
"Pray tell, what was it then, that held you back, Lady Sango?"
Closing her eyes, she sighed and stood, dragging Hiraikotsu up with her and lugging it across her to drape down her back again. "Something from the past. Something you have no right to ask about, considering I don't even know you're name."
"Oh, forgive me!" he said, truly apologetic as he clasped her hands in his. "My name is Miroku, and I have a very pressing question to ask you, Lady Sango!"
"And... what would that be?" Sango replied, both perplexed and wary.
"Would you please do me the honour of bearing my—!"
"Sango-san, hurry up! We must be getting back to—!" the neko stopped the moment she rounded the corner and spotted Miroku. "Sango-san, you were supposed to KILL him!! He'll ruin everything!!"
Sango's shoulders slumped. She knew she'd let her country down... But, something inside her wouldn't allow her to kill a human. Especially not this lech, for one reason or another, although she had to admit she was sorely tempted to see how far her morals would let her go! Maybe she could go just shy of killing... She smirked.
"Gomen," she bowed to the neko, "But, he WON'T cause problems if we take him back as a prisoner! I'm sure he'd be able to tell Sesshoumaru-osama many things about the city!"
Though her companions, both neko and monk alike, looked alarmed and uncertain of this solution, she wrapped her hand around the monks wrist and dragged him along the corridors, followed quickly by the nekos.
Thoroughly disgruntled by the situation, Miroku couldn't help but remind himself that he wouldn't really mind being taken by this beautiful vixen.
'Hmmm... Taken, huh...?' He smirked in delight. 'That would be so bad. As long as she's gentle.'
Kami help her! She couldn't breathe!
Her heartbeat all but exploding in her ears, Kagome's hand padded itself down on her chest in an attempt to comfort the sore, overwhelming pain! It felt hollow beneath her fingertips, and she could feel that air being desperately sucked in, only to come whooshing out in a rush, leaving her empty again! Her lungs felt like the embers of Hell itself were licking venomously at their tender tissues!
She had to stop... just for a moment!
She came to an abrupt halt, kicking up a petty cloud of powdered dust below her blistered, aching feet. As she watched the other ninjas lash fervently onward through the underbrush, slashing back tree limbs and fluidly leaping in grand bounds, she sighed dispiritedly. She was no match for the speed of the others and their inhuman powers, and knew that no one would really notice if she fell behind: it wasn't the youkai way.
Deep down, she didn't expect anyone to stop for her; she was a ninja to them, after all! She was supposed to be able to hold her own. She groaned, sitting down on the grass underfoot, and began massaging her soles through her flexible blue boots. The pain was dull and unwavering under her palms, and she knew she would be left behind in the middle of who-KNEW-where because of it, but what other option did she have? She couldn't run any further without a rest!
One could imagine her wonder, then, when she saw a figure flying back along the silent trail to meet her! It was the neko she had spoken to at dinner; Kirara was her name. She knelt down on her knee and peered at Kagome in confusion for a time, before realization dawned on her.
"Can you run further?" she asked.
Kagome shook her head, and breathed heavily against her pulled-down mask.
Kirara examined her ningen friend's soles, then tugged Kagome to her feet. "It isn't that serious. Come on." With that, she began pulling her companion along, despite Kagome's wild flailing and cries of anguish as her feet were forced into pounding down on the ground again.
Kagome was in tears as Kirara's firm fingers gripped her wrist and pulled her along through the air as the yasha leapt over root and vine effortlessly! Sadly, unlike her fellow ninja, Kagome's feet felt the searing as they were plucked off the earth only to smash hard against it during the landing at the end of each leap!
"What are you doing?!" Kagome whimpered raucously. "It HURTS!!!"
"Calm down, we're almost caught up to the others, Youchi!"
Kagome's brows drew downward defensively at the implication! She was no child! How dare this creature call her an infant! "What are you saying?!" she growled testily, still feeling the sting in her feet, but choosing to ignore it for the time being.
"Listen," Kirara replied, still yanking the disadvantaged ningen along, "I don't mean to be the bearer of bad news for you, but if you can't run with a few little blisters on your soles, what makes you think you can be a ninja? I'm not saying you have to run like a youkai – after all, you are only human; that kind of speed is beyond your natural capacity – but you still have to run as best as you're able!"
Kagome clamped her stormy mouth shut lest she outpour a string of words she would later regret. Besides, Kirara's words were true; harsh and cut-throat, but true, regardless. So, she closed her eyes and continued to feel the wrenching in her feet. Then, as she concentrated on her footing, she felt something snap inside her, like a bubble bursting! At that moment, she glared at Kirara with cold, determined eyes.
"Let go!" she said, commandingly.
Taking no heed of the girl's demand, Kirara suddenly felt the sharpness of her hand being shoved forcefully away from the wrist of her 'charge.' Glancing back over her shoulder as she pushed onward, the neko saw a faint glow appear around Kagome before it faded a split second later! The girl had been lit with an unexplainable fire!! Kirara moved up and away from the girl to ponder the glow in peace, her faint scent of fear going unnoticed by her companions up ahead.
Kagome, meanwhile, could feel the blood rushing through her, and from her toes to her head she felt warmth, all the way to the core of her spine! She could, of course, still feel the sharp ache of the blisters as she glided along, but it was muddled somewhat by the warmth. Having had no idea what was making her feel this way, she knew only that the running seemed suddenly easier because of it, and her legs were swaying back and forth gracefully – like a gazelle, she would imagine from the way she was bounding. Or, perhaps, a demon.
Now that the pain and stress of the exercise was fairly eliminated, Kagome could now focus on the destination. She heard Inuyasha's words echo through her mind and make her body ripple with remembrance. Once he had the attention of the ninja company, she recalled him explaining their mission.
"Reach the Capital. Infiltrate the city. Find out what you can of the defenses, then report back to Sesshoumaru at the treeline to the fields before dawn."
That had been two hours ago, before they had left on their God-forsaken run!
Two hours ago, Kagome had been SITTING! But that didn't matter anymore, as she caught sight of the tree break not so far away now. She couldn't see the others, and a fleeting fear passed over her that she may be lost – in the wrong part of the forest, or worse!
As she sped on toward the treeline, she was abruptly snagged from behind as someone pulled the back of her shinobi! Her legs kicked out in front of her harshly from the momentum she had built up, the long muscles of the limbs stretching, and then she felt herself being thrown up against a tree, where she saw through her mask just who had stopped her.
Immediately, she placed a glazed look into her eyes to try to alter the colour as best as she could. If she could mist them, he wouldn't detect her! But she was thankful for the sweat that coated her from the marching, for it was too salty to allow him to scent her accurately. Her identity was still safe, as long as she kept her damn mouth shut!
Inuyasha put a finger to his lips, and then pointed it to other masked ninjas standing tensely nearby, shadowed in the trees by the edge of the forest. The hand he had used to stop and pin her against the tree with released the fabric of her shoulder, and he withdrew it to his side.
He moved forward stealthily to the very edge of the trees, and stared out over the long fields of rye that lay uncomfortably flat before them. With keen youkai eyes, he and the nekos could spy the bright fires along the outer defensive wall of the city a mile off. The wall was made of powerful, thick stone, and the men that kept watch along it were many. Too many for any of their likings! How were they supposed to get over that wall?!
Strong demons they may be, but they were still too few to win by brute strength! Besides, attacking was NOT their mission. They were here to collect crucial information for the osama! With not only the Eastern army, but also that of its far neighbours to contend with, the West would have their work cut out for them, despite their power!
Desperately, he looked to the river that flowed along the northern side of the wall straight to the northern treeline two hundred-some meters off. No good, for it was too fast-flowing to risk sending anyone in! They would drown before reaching the wall, even if THAT were the end of the mission! Once there, the lucky bastard would still have to get around or over the wall undetected!
Kagome, though unable to see what the demons could due to the lack of light and her human impairment, still had a very reasonable idea of what they saw: a heavily fortified outer wall, ominous and daring. No doubt her company was wracking their brains trying to determine a way of entrance. Here, she could be of great assistance!
Carefully, she inched toward Inuyasha until she was just adjacent to him, while trying to continue being at a respectful distance. Lowly, she whispered, "Milord, there are three small openings in the wall for flooding control in case of heavy rainfall. They empty out in case the low city street fills up. They are all on the South-face side. If we reach them, we should manage to slip through the rock."
Inuyasha turned to look at her, suspicion playing in his eyes. "How do you know?"
"I've been here before," she replied, her sultry tone dipping deeper still with its lowness.
For now, Inuyasha was striving to be content to leave it at that, though his personal curiosity about the mystery woman was perked again. Not to mention his distrust! She could have been a spy! But, then again, she had Sesshoumaru's permission to come along, which meant she was no enemy. He would have to push aside the matter for now. There would be time enough to question later, but right now he had a job to do!
"All right," he replied, and signaled with his fingers to the others, pointing to the South side of the wall.
As they gathered together for instruction, Inuyasha whispered the plan. "Stay low in the rye sheaths. DON'T stand up for ANY reason, unless you plan on getting shot down! Make for the South side, and spread out on the way; we don't want to be one giant patch ripe for the killing!"
They all nodded, and made their cautious, steady way out of the trees, into the vast expanse of "No Man's Land." Kagome, however, remained within the shelter of the trees a minute longer, watching them as the rest of the company wove its way through the field, trying vigilantly to disturb as little of the sheaths as possible, so as not to draw attention to their movements low on the ground.
Then, with a renewed spirit, Kagome glided along the treeline to the part nearest to the riverside. As the river came up ten or so meters from the trees, Kagome jutted out sharply, and threw herself low to the ground in the sheaths! Carefully and quickly, she swaggered along on her hand and knees to the bank of the river. Though she couldn't easily see where the water was through the thick, densely-grown stalks, she moved toward the sound of the rushing current grinding against the riverbanks.
Tentatively, she pushed aside the last few rye stalks obscuring her view of the river. She had made it! Glancing down the river, in the direction of the city, the would-be ninja lowered herself like a snake, face-first, into the running water. Holding onto the bank so as not to be swept up in the current prematurely, she gulped in a mass of air, then ducked under the surface!
Head first, she was dragged swiftly along the stretch of the river! Of course, she knew that Inuyasha would NEVER send any of the others this way, for it was too strong a current for those not accustomed. Kagome had counted on that. However, unlike her youkai companions, Kagome had been swimming in this river since she was a child; she knew how long she could last underwater and how to fight a current! Her mother had called her a water-baby for good reason! Still, she was very relieved that it was nighttime, and the water murky blue to match her shinobi, for in the day, the water would be crystal clear, and she would have been spotted instantly!
'Now,' Kagome thought, watching to her right as the bank suddenly became steeper, 'that's the beginning of the wall. It should be coming up soon.' Stretching her arms out, the hime maneuvered herself right, to be flush against the bank.
Along the thick stone bank, obviously the wall support, a growing black spot appeared. Pursing her lips tightly, Kagome smiled.
'There it is!' she smirked, her mouth firmly shut.
As the blackness grew and was beside her, she pushed once more against the dragging current, and launched herself into the small, underwater gap! It was just tall enough to fit a man kneeling, and wide enough to fit three shoulder-to-shoulder. The battered walls of the aquatic tunnel were plastered with barnacles and silt.
Carefully, cautious of her relenting air supply – though her mask helped preserve it a bit – Kagome tread along in the pitch black, one hand on the left wall and the other on the low roof of the inner tunnel. For what seemed like forever – especially to her lungs – she swam in darkness! When her eyes felt as though they were burning and her lungs screamed for nourishment, she felt her hand on the roof jut up into an air pocket! She could have cried out for joy as her head burst above the surface of the water and she inhaled the life-giving, stale air!
Looking up a few feet, Kagome saw an opening where light poured through. Quietly, she swam over to the rough edge of rock, and hauled her sore and tired body up through the tiny crack. As she grabbed and wrenched her final foot from the hole, she looked up and saw the silent, peaceful alley she was standing in. No one had seen her! No one could follow her and prevent her from finding her father!! She was IN the city!!
The moonlight was pale and shone down brightly on the sheaths, making them look like molten silver as the dry wind swayed them back and forth gently. This could only indicate to Kikyo that the company who had gone ahead to scout out the defenses had some good luck at last!
She looked left, then right, and saw the deathly silent troops amid the tree shadows. They were just off of the treeline, and awaited the return on the ninjas and the osama's command. Speaking of the osama... Kikyo wound her way decisively through the mass of bodies crammed into the shaded confines of the forest. They had joined up with the main forces not a mile ago, and marched swiftly to the Capital border. Though the original plan had been the mass army was to meet the guard here, the larger company had been delayed by a long trek along the Druid range due to a mudslide on a cliff overhanging the mountain pass's main road.
Still, they were here now.
Through the shadows, Kikyo caught sight of her lord, and she sped toward him earnestly. Upon reaching him, as he sat against a tree calmly, she knelt beside him. Her eyes were stars that beamed with hope, and she smiled at him grimly.
"What now, my lord?" she asked, folding her hands neatly in her lap.
"Now we wait for Inuyasha and his company to return with news. Until then, we stay ready."
Kikyo stared gently over the fields from the trees, and sighed at the city. "Koi, will you slay the civilians too? Please say not! It is the soldiers who fight for my father! Don't—!" The tips of Sesshoumaru's left-hand fingers rested upon her pale lips.
"We are not butchers, Kikyo. They will not be harmed if I can prevent it." He breathed, releasing her lips once more to let the fingertips travel along her creamy throat and shoulder, down her arm.
"Sesshoumaru...," Kikyo sighed, worry and indecision licking on her tongue, "did... did Inuyasha take Kagome with him?"
Sesshoumaru peered at her softly, and trailed his wandering hand down to rest upon hers, still nestled nervously in her lap, "He did."
Kikyo's blood ran chill, and she shivered despite herself! Nothing in the world could have prepared her for this moment, even though it had been she who had all but forced Kagome to go! She couldn't help being afraid... After all, her baby sister was out there! How could she live with herself if something terrible were to happen to her?! It would be all Kikyo's fault!
"Koi?" Kikyo quivered, trembling with a sudden, intangible cold. "Will... Will my Kagome-chan come back to me...?"
Sesshoumaru's eyes glimmered dimly. How could he answer her? War meant massacre and death. How could he lie and say that she would return alive doubtlessly? It was neither realistic nor appropriate for keeping his koi's hopes high. He loved her too much to lift her up high only to let her come crashing down afterwards! Better to not say anything than be the instigator of unexpected grief...
His arms reached out to her, and she came to him, resting herself in his placid embrace as the silent tears fell over fresh, pale cheeks.
If war meant death, Sesshoumaru could only pray the victims of it would be those willing to die for what they fought for. Let them die with honour, and Hell will have no power over the souls that spring forth! And he prayed that the victims did not include those he loved...
She had done it! She had made it into the palace undetected, and now to scout about a bit! Mind you, it wasn't exactly where she had been planning on going, but she had never been here before! One couldn't blame her from getting a little disoriented! And besides, what better place to scan the defenses than the palace? Especially if she was able to remain hidden and escape back to the treeline in time! She still had a good twenty minutes before dawn! The information she gathered may end up being a critical advantage!
Sango slithered along the dark shadows of the stairs as she was about to round a corner. Along the corridor she had been ready to turn into she could see three guards leaning on heavy spears and droning on about gossip of this and that around the palace. One of them leaned, instead, on a staff. She signaled to the two other ninjas on the other side of the hall crossway, and warned them of the guards. Raising her index finger and pointing to the ceiling, then two fingers at the guards around the corner, Sango gave the orders.
They nodded affirmative, and leapt up into the support beams of the ceiling. She watched until they reached the centre fold and then inhaled deeply, bracing herself for what she was about to do. Then, the swiftness only experience could bring, she raced forward, across the crossway, taking care to let them hear her footsteps and see her from the corner of their eyes!
Normally, of course, that would be exactly what they WEREN'T supposed to do, but those men were in the ninjas' way, and needed to be eliminated!
Once on the other side of the hall cross, Sango buried herself into the darkness, and pressed herself along the wall. She heard the men approaching, and her heart was pounding in her ears. Could she kill them? She had never killed a human before... All too soon, her deliberating time was up, and the men turned the corner. Sango raised her hand to her companions, and then charged forward, Hiraikotsu in hand, and swung at the first man who lifted his spear! A split second passed before the men found themselves slammed into the ground by two yashas who swung from the beams above their heads!
The nekos made quick work of the two men who had approached, and slit their throats with their ninja-tos! Blood stained the matting at their feet, and Sango went slightly pale at the sight of the men, staring up at the ceiling with glassy, frightened eyes that would not blink again from the nightmare that had just transpired!
From the corner of her eye, she spotted the third guard move – the one with the staff! Only, this man did not approach to avenge his comrades! No, he was rushing away, down the hall! Sango stood still until she was shrieked at by one of the neko ninjas.
"What the HELL are you waiting for, Sango-san?! Go get him before he alerts the whole palace!"
At that, Sango's feet seemed to move on their own, and she soon found herself rounding three separate corners before catching up with the sly escapist! Her frail mortal heart pounded against her chest from her exertions, but she whirled it from her consciousness.
He had not halted in his run simply from her approach. Instead, he carried on, his coarse black robe and forest green sash-cloth rustling drably across his skin beneath. It was then that Sango corrected her misinterpretation; he was no guard. She had judged by association – totally disregarding the garb that he bore, as well as the nature of his staff and its decoration. The gleaming hex-bangles hooped about the metal, swirl-decked ring that was far too distinct to be that of a sentry of ANY kind!
This man was a monk!
Still the enemy, she thought, willing a trembling hand to lift her Hiraikotsu from over her shoulder. Her long, delicate fingers – marred only by a few faint bruises and old, pink calluses from fighting – stretched a firmer grip about the band to prepare for the incoming terminal heave! She raised her weapon slowly and took aim at the man's back. This would kill him, and she knew it...
She swung heavily, as a blitz of light burst across her eyes! All Sango could do was stare ahead of her as the fine wooden weapon, sharpened like a razor on the outer edge to slice through flesh, thrashed through the air and cruelly cut through the man before her in the bright light! She watched the blood ooze and drip in an orgy down his severed waist! She had cut him in two!
As his torso fell from his hips (which followed a moment later) she screamed in utter agony as she saw his face, staring at her with glassy eyes that were gorged with pain, terror, and raw betrayal! His mouth was ajar, his eyes wide, and his cheeks snowy with death. She was looking at a portrait of fear and innocence: the horrendous, tremor price the wave of war was forever destined to wrought.
What had she DONE?!?! She really HAD killed him! Her breathing shallowed to a ghostly breeze as she wept, gaping at the fallen form her beloved little brother...!
He ceased his panicked stride in favour of looking back at his pursuer. He spied her hand first, stilled gripping her weapon tightly. He had head the wisp of the air as she swung it, and had thought his death was imminent, but was pleasantly surprised that she had not released her fingers from the throw-strap. Something inside her must have changed her mind...
It was then that his eyes traveled up her arm, and saw a fine set of square shoulder joining into a long, slender neck. Her face was round – almost to the point of adorably pudgy. Keen brown eyes stared at the hand still holding her weapon. They were vibrant with shock and an incredible tide of horror. Moving up, her ebony hair was pulled up into a most flattering ponytail the swept down to her mid back; that draping line of black brought his eyes down again...
The swell of her chest drew his eyes, and he found his hands twitching in admiration, wanting nothing more than to reach out a squeeze the plump flesh. Knowing promptly that she would have no indecision about killing him on that account, he threw his hands behind his back, clasping them together. Only then did he trust himself to go further with his salacious sweep.
A wonderful, shapely waist gave birth to long, flowing legs that his eyes could drown in! It wasn't the most lean waist he had ever seen, but nonetheless was short and pretty and allowed for more leg, which was always a bonus!
The owner of this illustrious body seemed disoriented and dizzy. Soon enough, her grasp on her weapon loosed and it clattered to the floor. A moment later, and she joined it. Upon her hands and knees she gasped raggedly, and shook as tears leaked from her eyes. He didn't like the look of it one bit! After all, as a monk, he was bound to help people!
So, dignified as always, he swept forward and knelt at her side.
"May I do anything for you?" he asked.
It took a moment for her composure to return to her, and when she regained it, she stared up at him dazedly, looking very much like one awakening from a dream.
"Who are you?" she mumbled, her tongue thick in her throat.
He smiled kindly, all the while his hands itching to move forward. He'd settle for even one! "I am a monk, dear lady. Please, may I assist you in any way?" His smile widened slightly, making her raise her guard a little more than before. "How may I satiate you?"
Sango turned as she felt a warmth resting on her backside. She squealed in disgust, and down came her hand in a mastered stroke! In the place of his hand on her butt, he was graced with a bulging lump upon the crown of his head!
"Try that again," she shrieked, shaking her fist, "and I'll HAVE no second thoughts about killing you!"
He rubbed the bump on his head and winced. Then his eye met hers. A second of bright lightning rushed through them, and both shuddered as they looked away in panic.
"So...," he replied slyly, when the tension could be borne no longer, "you had second thoughts just now, Lady... um...?"
"Sango," she replied. "And yes, I did, though it was not because of you!"
"Pray tell, what was it then, that held you back, Lady Sango?"
Closing her eyes, she sighed and stood, dragging Hiraikotsu up with her and lugging it across her to drape down her back again. "Something from the past. Something you have no right to ask about, considering I don't even know you're name."
"Oh, forgive me!" he said, truly apologetic as he clasped her hands in his. "My name is Miroku, and I have a very pressing question to ask you, Lady Sango!"
"And... what would that be?" Sango replied, both perplexed and wary.
"Would you please do me the honour of bearing my—!"
"Sango-san, hurry up! We must be getting back to—!" the neko stopped the moment she rounded the corner and spotted Miroku. "Sango-san, you were supposed to KILL him!! He'll ruin everything!!"
Sango's shoulders slumped. She knew she'd let her country down... But, something inside her wouldn't allow her to kill a human. Especially not this lech, for one reason or another, although she had to admit she was sorely tempted to see how far her morals would let her go! Maybe she could go just shy of killing... She smirked.
"Gomen," she bowed to the neko, "But, he WON'T cause problems if we take him back as a prisoner! I'm sure he'd be able to tell Sesshoumaru-osama many things about the city!"
Though her companions, both neko and monk alike, looked alarmed and uncertain of this solution, she wrapped her hand around the monks wrist and dragged him along the corridors, followed quickly by the nekos.
Thoroughly disgruntled by the situation, Miroku couldn't help but remind himself that he wouldn't really mind being taken by this beautiful vixen.
'Hmmm... Taken, huh...?' He smirked in delight. 'That would be so bad. As long as she's gentle.'