Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, because if I did, Miroku wouldn't be such a pervert all the time!
Chapter 6
Inuyasha glared at the girl, not really angry as much as confused.
She had backed herself against the wall of the shrine and seemed terrified at all the people surrounding her. She looked up slowly, meeting his piercing amber gaze for a moment, before looking down again.
"There is so much to explain and not much time. I will have to allow you to see my thoughts if things are to be explained in time to avoid disaster."
Without further explanation her body began to glow a brilliant white, the light spreading until it had encompassed them all.
OOOOO
"Zara! Zara! Come inside! It's getting dark out! Zara? Where are you?"
"Coming mother!" The child's voice rang out through the darkness as she hurried toward the lit interior. Her braid was coming unraveled, the length of dark brown hair streaming down her back.
"Sweetheart..." Her mother clucked softly in disapproval when she saw her. "You know you're not allowed to be out so late..."
"I'm sorry mama..." The child whispered, giving the women a fierce hug.
The women's eyes softened and she hugged back. "Go and get ready for bed now..."
The girl scampered off to do as she was told.
OOOOO
"Tell me the story again mama..."
The women sat quietly, a fire burning in the hearth before her as she gently braided the girl's hair.
"What one sweetheart?" She asked, as she finished the braid, lightly running her fingers over the girl's back.
"The one about your ring... and how daddy gave it to you..." Sleepily the girl rose and snuggled into her mother's arms, curling her fist around a stray lock of her mother's hair.
"Your father was a young man when he slew a demon that was taking over the town. He destroyed it, but as the demon died he laid a curse on your father, dooming him to die. Your father was a brave man and he journeyed to the far regions where he discovered an ancient manuscript, telling of the whereabouts of a ring that could lift he curse from him. He journeyed a long time... His adventures were many and the telling would last for longer than I could tell... But finally he reached the cave where the ancient ring was kept. He had read of the dangers inside the cave, but vowed to return with the ring or die in the attempt."
By then the child's eyes had begun to droop and she sleepily yawned, but her mother took no notice, enthralled in the story as she was.
"He fought many demons, conquered them all and returned to his village with the ring to be healed. A great priest took the power of the ring and used it to heal your father. He kept the ring on a golden string around his neck as a reminder of his journeys. He lived in the village with the priest until the old man died. When he was struck with the illness your father begged permission to marry his daughter. The priest knew she would be well taken care of, so he gave his consent."
"That was you... Wasn't it mommy?" The child demanded, her voice hazy with sleep.
"Yes... It was." The women looked down at the sleeping child in her arms and smiled a soft smile, fingering the golden ring on her finger.
OOOOO
"Run Zara! Keep going! Don't look back!" The exclamation was cut off by a scream as the child tore through the forest, running as fast as her small legs could carry her, her vision obscured by tears.
"Mommy!" She screamed as her kimono tripped her and she toppled to the ground. "Why? Why? Why didn't they kill me too?"
She shoulders shook as sobs forced their way from her mouth, her heart ripping to pieces as each noise erupted from her.
She no longer cared if they found her. She wanted to die. Everyone she'd ever loved, her mother, her father, her older sister and brother, all dead at the hands of the demons that destroyed their home.
She cried until she had no tears left and her throat was red and sore from the strangled noises she had made. She refused to move, not caring if something found her. All she did was beg for death.
She clenched her fist, securing her small hand around the ring her mother had given her before she had shoved her out the window that had been too small to save the rest of them from their fate.
"Guard it Zara..." Her mother had pleaded desperately. "Keep it safe."
The child pushed herself into a sitting position as the sun streamed over the hillside. I will mama. I will.
OOOOO
Struggling against the cold, a young women knocked tentatively on the door of a hut.
"Please sir..." She begged quietly. "May I shelter by your fire until the worst of the storm has passed?"
The man sniffed, obviously repulsed. "No you may not." He slammed the door on her, the promise of light and warmth disappearing with him.
She gave a small sigh, her shoulders drooping slightly. Looking around, she spotted a tree not too far away. Resigning herself to the cold, she walked over, stumbling slightly as the wind pressed against her thin frame.
She pulled herself up against the trunk, sheltering herself from the wind as she shivered visibly, yanking the thin shawl that covered her up a bit higher.
A single tear rolled down her face, but she brushed it away with a sniff. She had no time to waste on pity. Her days were spent searching for food, and a warm spot to sleep at night.
Shivering once again as an icy wind took her breath away, she reached down the front of her shirt, drawing out a golden chain, on which hung a small ring.
She brushed a finger against the dangling object, a small smile flickering across her face, before she feel into a light sleep, her fist clenched tight around the ring.
OOOOO
"Move wench!" An angry cart driver said, swearing as the young women stepped out onto the road, directly in front of his cart.
She ducked away, cowering as if she expected him to hit her as she backed away.
His eyes widened slightly as he took in her appearance. Her clothes were ragged, torn and dirty. Her hair long and unkempt. She was obviously undernourished, her thin arm and gaunt features told him that with little trouble.
His eyes softened in pity as he pulled the cart to a halt. "Are you all right?"
She didn't bother to respond, disappearing back into the forest on the side of the road as silently as she had come.
He didn't care. No one cares about you. The girl ran through the forest, ignoring the branches that whipped her cheeks and tangled in her hair.
She needed to keep running. Running. Always running. Because no one cared about her. There was no one left to care. And she had long since stopped worrying about it.
She looked out for herself. And the ring. Always the ring.
She pressed a hand to her chest to make sure the familiar lump was there. It was. Of course it was. She soothed herself.
If she lost the ring... She might as well kill herself. It was all that kept her going. That and her promise to her mother.
OOOOO
An old women tottered up the hill to a cave on the mountainside. Her body was bent and gnarled. She gripped a sturdy piece of wood to help her along, but even with this support she barely made it to the mouth of the cave.
Something stirred within. The darkness uncoiling itself to reveal a demon. It's pitch black scales blended with the darkness around it, making it appear to disappear in the shadows. The only thing that showed it was truly there was it's blood red eyes.
"What is it you have come for?" It hissed.
Refusing to speak, the old women fumbled about her rags for a moment, before withdrawing a clenched hand.
"You have nothing that I could possibly want old crone." The demon hissed angrily.
The women lowered herself to the ground with an obvious effort and laid the object at the demon's feet.
Uninterested, the demon glanced down at the object and froze in astonishment.
"The ring! But it was taken years ago! How did you come by it old women?!"
"It was given to me freely, by someone whom I lost long ago." The raspy quality of the women's voice made the demon raise it's head to peer at her more closely.
"You have not long to live old one."
The women nodded. "I am not afraid to die. I have been dead since the day that wretched thing came into my life."
Turning, the women fought her way back down the mountain, leaving the thing she fought so hard and long to protect in the claws of a demon.
OOOOO
Author's Note: My muse has awoken! And is currently on a sugar high from too many pixie sticks. Anyway, the next chapter I'll let you know how 'this' all happened. I'll also explain how the girl got her powers.
Thanks to my reviewers: Dark Inu Fan (Rhyming? Hah! Do you know how long it took me to come up with that stupid prophesy?! Oh god, you don't even want to know...), StarfireRobin (Thanks for your constant support!), and CrimsonEnchantress (I know it was short, couldn't help it. I try to review everyday. But sometimes things get in the way...)!
What the- GET OFF THE KEYBOARD! ...whacks muse over the head with lava lamp... GET OFF NOW! ...annoying high-pitched laughter... ...crashing noises...
Uh... gotta go! GET AWAY FROM THAT!
MysteryMaiden7