Of course I don't own them! What're you thinking?
Twist Of Fate
Chapter 2: Nightmares of the Past
In the morning he watched as she headed into the wellhouse, his presence masked in several ways. He knew what would happen, had happened. He wouldn't have to worry about her for the next month. Well he could worry but she won't be around to worry for. He already hated himself for letting her get attacked, that he had been too late. But that was fate, that was how it had to happen. Sensing the swirl of mystical energy from within the wellhouse he stood from his perch on the roof and left to tend to other business.
***
Kagome climbed out of the well, smiling at her friends as Shippo launched himself into her arms. "KAGOME!" the kit squealed. "We missed you Kagome!"
She hugged him and grinned, "Yeah I know, I missed you too Shippo-chan."
Inu Yasha was about to act as his normal brash self and ask her if she enjoyed her little vacation, but there were certain things about her that were bugging him at that moment. He looked at her clothes, which he realized were different from what she normally wore. Well she still wore a typical long sleeved shirt but it was tucked in. She also wore a pair of blue pants made of some fabric he couldn't recognize (which Kagome would later identify as denim). There weren't tight like the pants that Sango wore as part of her taija outfit, but it was definitely a far stretch from her usual short skirts. If the weather were getting cooler, which it wasn't, he would think nothing of this change in wardrobe. Her shoes were differnet too, they were white, laced and looked more secure on her feet seemingly much better for travel than the ones she normaly wore.
While she was greeting Miroku and Sango he took the opportunity to pick out her distinct scent. After two years he had learned all the intricancies of his friends' scents. The slightest alteration in it could tell him what they were feeling. And now he was picking out Kagome's.
He was slightly startled when he could smell some medicene on her, like that stuff she always brought back in her "first aid" kit. Kagome was wounded? This immidiately stole his attention and he promptly forgot to see about any emotional variations in her. "Kagome."
Kagome smiled as she turned to him, "Don't worry Inu Yasha I didn't forget you," she said pulling a bag of potato chips out of her bag.
"Can I talk to you a second Kagome?"
She looked at the hanyou, "You're not just going to yell at me for staying away for two and a half weeks are you?"
"No, I want to ask how you got hurt."
Kagome knew the question was coming, in fact she had heard it before already. "Kagome-chan are you alright?" Sango asked.
"I'm fine," she said. "When I was with my aunt and uncle I was careless." She lifted up part of her shirt to reveal the white gauze patch that was partially covered by her pants. "I tripped and fell on a rake." It was a lame excuse, she knew, but it was one that they would believe. "It's almost healed already, Mama was just being over cautious and she wants me to keep it covered until it's all healed."
"Well at least someone in your family's got some brains, sure know you didn't inherit that from her."
"Osuwari." WHAM! "And you certainly haven't inherited any manners either."
"Kagome-sama has a point there Inu Yasha. You could learn to develope some more tact." Miroku said one hand reaching around behind San-
WHAM! He then joined Inu Yasha on the ground. Sango growled at the monk, "And you houshi could do the same!"
Kagome laughed, it had been too long since she could enjoy her friends' company like this. As the life around her began to degenerate into it's usual chaos Kagome relaxed into the moment, even as she found herself angrily sitting Inu Yasha. It was the comfortable famliarity of the moment that almost made her forget the days to come. But she would not have to worry about that till tomorrow.
***
The nightmares had not come for sometime in her view. But tonight they were upon her again, with more ferocity and horror. At the same time it was so real it was like the first time. It was as though that they had taken their absence to learn how to be even more torturous. Surprise and fear came first, the hand of some unknown monster wrapping around her mouth and dragging her into the darkness. It was a human monster, though deformed and ugy in her subconcious eye. His snake like tounge licking the side of her face as she tried to scream against his hand. She bit down, only to feel pain across her face as he punished her for her resistance.
Falling to the floor, her adventures allowed her to recover quickly and she ran. Unfortunately her fear impaired her judgment and she ran the wrong way. The beast in human guise was quick catching her and throwing her against the wall. Then white hot pain as the smooth metal found it's home in her side. "No running pet." he growled, but not in an angry way. It was crazed and lustful, which only increased her fear. As her clothes began to rip and she flailed helplessly, only to be beat upon again she prayed for oblivion, for unconciousness that her fear and pain would not allow. She cried and sobbed into the gag that kept her cries from being heard as he forced himself into h-
Kagome bolted up in the darkness, drawing in a sharp breath. Her breathing was ragged, her fear permeating the air around her. So much so that it was almost physical to her. She sat there a full minute before she realized that she had been silently crying. She quickly wiped away her tears and clamed herself. She was safely in Kaede's hut in Sengoku Jidai. "Kagome?"
She jerked slightly at the quiet voice. By now her eyes had adjusted to the light and she looked down at the kitsune beside her. "mm?"
"Are you ok Kagome? I can smell tears, and you're scared."
Kagome shook her head and smiled, "I'm fine Shippo, it was just a nightmare. A very bad nightmare."
"What was it about?" he asked sleepily. Content to go back to sleep now knowing that everything was safe.
"I don't really remember," she lied, hopping the kit was to sleepy to notice. "I just remember...feeling trapped, and pain... and alone."
"Don' worry.." the kit mumbled, his speech deteriorating along with his conciousness. "We'll never leave you alone..."
She smiled at him, laying down again and cuddling Shippo to her chest. "I know, thank you Shippo. Oyasumi." She kissed his forehead as he mumble a goodnight. Tomorrow she would have to be careful. She sighed, she would have to remember not to run off anywhere on her own tomorrow. Last time she had stormed off for some time alone after getting upset with Inu Yasha. Then of all people, she ran into him. With her still somewhat suicidal nature at the time she defied him outright. Inviting him to kill her even lifting her chin to give him better access to her throat. His warm and deadly hand had landed gently around her neck and flexed a few times as though he were trying to decide as she stood there, staring defiantly into his eyes. As he began to apply select pressure she realized he was not choking her, she could still breath. His thumb and forefinger pressing on the pulse points under her jaw. As the edges of her vision began to darken she remembered wondering what was going on before waking in his home.
Kagome sighed, she still never understood what it was that caused him to allow her to live. Even more so what made him think it was a good idea to take her with him. Probably that indominatable spirit of hers that he always went on about. Well not always. That was what he loved about her, that was why he sacrificed himself for her. She shook her mind out of those thoughts, "Go back to sleep Kagome," she whispered to herself, "it's pointless to worry about it now."
Inu Yasha sat there in the position he normally slept in, his ears twitching in her direction. He woke not long before she had, hearing her cry in her sleep. There was something bothering her deeply and he wanted to know what it was. After the immediate fear from the nightmare dispelled he could tell she was worried. She lied when she said she didn't remember the nightmare. Did she think it might be some kind of premonition? Scared, trapped, pain and alone... Naraku maybe? Or was she just being foolish? The hanyou clenched his teeth, he'd be on guard tomorrow, just in case. He'd protect his friends, after all they were all he really had.
***
Detective Hikawa sat at the desk looking over the information he had. It was odd, while people may have been in a rush he was surprised that no one could give him a description of the man that had brought the Higurashi girl inot the hospital. All he got was "tall" and "stange looking" but no one could seem to tell him what about him looked strange. One nurse, though, distinctly remebered that he had almost measured, well placed movements, like he always knew where he was going. When he asked how she knew this she said that she had taken dancing since she was a child and her brother was a martial artist who taught her some as well. The man had looked like he was ready to fight or flee at the drop of a hat. Strangely enough, while she had noticed this his features seemed to elude her and he did not stick around to see if Higurashi was ok.
Suffice to say, the detective was stumped.
***
Kagome ealized at some point the nex day that she was having some of the exact same conversations as before. That really hadn't bothered her, but the fact that during them her knowledge of the future was wiped off to the side, and she would only relaize it when the full memories returned. She was worried, it was as if fate dictated that certain things had to happen again, and if she couldn't change anything...
No, she shook her head, it was already a few hours past noon, when she had run into him last time she lived through this. Yes, things were still changing, but was it enough? Kami she hoped so. Unexpectedly and suddenly Inu Yasha made his hunger known, the others agreed, Kagome could use some rest herself anyway. Inu Yasha sniffed the air a bit, his ears twitching, "There's a river over this way," he muttered, "Hey Kagome you wanna come with me to get some water?"
She crossed her arms and raised a brow at him, "Are you implying that I can't protect myself?" she asked somewhat slyly.
"Nah," he grinned, knowing this was the beginning of their legendary verbal sparring matches. "You just reak of sweat." A split second later a instant later a flashlight collided with the back of his head.
"Sure why not," Kagome said walking past him as though she had never thrown the thing. "I could use the exercise," she clarified flatly.
They weren't but a minute from the others when InuYasha spoke up again, "Kagome is everything alright?"
"Of course, why wouldn't they be?"
"I heard you talking to the runt last night, and I can tell you're worried about something."
"It's nothing," she said turning her eyes from her closest friend, "It was just some bad dream I can't remember."
He took hold her arm and turned her towards him, "Kagome," he said softly, "You know better than to try and lie to me. Did something happen? Do you think your dream will happen? We've been through too much together to keep silly things like this from each other."
Her eyes began to burn, she didn't want him to know. He'd hate her, telling her she deserved it for being so weak. And then if she told him about her "premonition" he'd think she was just being stupid and silly. "Inu Yasha.. I..." She bit her lip and shifted her weight unconfortably. "I.. I was..." Before another word could leave her mouth she felt a rush of air in front of her followed by the sound of crashing. She looked up startled, Her eyes widened as she saw Inu Yasha pinned to a tree by a youkai that was an odd combination of a wolf and a gator.
"Run Kagome!" the hanyou yelled throwing the beast off, "Get the others quick!" He cut off the youkai from following Kagome, cursing himself for not noticing it sooner. The monster tackled him again and he slashed at it again, the youkai's scaled hide was tough and barely showed signs of damage. Drawing his Tetsusaiga he suddenly caught on to other scents, "Kuso..." He didn't know if she would hear him but he shouted out to her anyway. "KAGOME! He's not alone!!"
***
Kagome ran, familiar adrenaline running through her blood as she paused to string her bow while calling out to her friends, positive that at least Shippo and Kirara would hear. Sensing more youki she immediately pointed an arrow in it's direction only to see two more of the wolf-gators. "Kagome! He's not alone!" She vaguly heard Inu Yasha yell.
"No shit!" She screamed, knowing Inu Yasha would hear. She let an arrow fly, to her surprise the youkai dodged it. She began running back towards the camp and the others, but she was cut off by one of the predators. A shiver ran down the miko's spine as she recognized hunger in it's eyes, and though it was different it reminded her of that fateful night not to long ago.
A ball of fox fire popped up in the things face causing it to reel back in surpise, Kagome took off on a path perpendicular to the way she was running notching another arrow. She looked back and shot, noticing that now only one was following her. She jumped over a fallen log, paused long enough to shoot the youkai then kept running. Judging by the roar she had only managed to piss it off. "Great..." she panted, "I'm gonna get eaten... I just know it." She fired another shot a moment later, scratching it's hide again, but she paused too long. Her eyes widened as it's large tail swung around, slamming into her and throwing her across the forest floor.
***
Kirara had her teeth imbeded in the monster's tail as the Hiraikotsu collided with it's head. "Everyone get back!" Miroku shouted, reading to undo the prayer beads around his arm. Less than a second after Kirara retreated and Sango caught her weapon the monk let loose the power of the curse that Naraku had bestowed upon his family. "KAZAA NA!"
The youkai growled, imbedding it's claws into the ground, eyes glowing red. It let loose a roar and its tail whipped behind it, breaking through a tree sending it hutling towards the monk and his cursed hand. Their eyes widened Miroku shut the void while getting out of the way. A short distance off they could feel and hear the energy of the Kaze no Kizu.
***
Kagome's back slammed into the tree trunk, somehow she had kept hold of her bow. The point was moot however as the creature was too close for her to pull back an arrow. Fortunately over the years she had gotten better control over her powers. She winced painfully and pushed herself up, the youkai's massive claw came up, latching around her torso and pinning her to the tree. She felt herself being crushed, the sensation strangely reminicent of when Madam Centipede had pinned her against Inu Yasha and his tree. Gritting her teeth she focused on the arrow still held in her one hand, having already dropped the bow. The youkai pushed harder, and sharp pains kpt coming from the wound in her side. While she could tell this wasn't exaclty an intelligent youkai it was smart enough to have sadisitc joy in slowly killing her. Just as she was beginning to find it hard to breath she rammed the arrow into it's hand.
The youkai reared it's head, roaring in pain, immediately dropping the girl to tend to the burning in his paw. The arrow sizzled as Kagome grabbed her bow and another arrow. Its other claw came acros her in it's frenzied motion barely touching her but giving her a nice gash across her stomach meeting with and tearing her stab wound open again. The previous arrow fell to the ground having left a hole and two less fingers than the youkai had before.
It's head thrown back in pain and outrage she shot an arrow at the exposed throat of the youkai. Though it moved the arrow still went into the side of its neck. Oh yeah, Kagome thought, it's really pissed off... wow have I become cynical or what?
She ran again as the wolf-gator thing thrashed in another painful fit before she heard it coming after her again, she nearly lost the next arrow as she went to notch it, her head spinning a bit. Damn blood loss, she muttered to herself mentally. She almost went to shoot him again when a flash of white flew across her vision. It was so fat she might have thought the youkai she was fighting just sprung a leak and fell over. Thinking for a moment that it was Inu Yasha Kagome allowed her weak, exhausted body to fall to the ground. She panted heavily and looked up at her saviour as golden eyes came into view.
Her breath caught and her eyes widened as she recognized him. Kagome tried to push hereslf up, feebly crawling backwards away from him. "Not you," she shook her head, "Kami not you." He raised a brow as the seemingly delerious girl began to ramble, "It's not safe... you.. you have to.. to get away. Please, don't come... don't come near me. You.. you might..." Her vision began to darken from pain, exhaustion, and blood loss as she fell over into unconciousness. "Don't.. want you.. hurt...."
***
Less than a minute after he had used the Kaze no Kizu Inu Yasha was upon the wolf-gator that Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were fighting. Another minute later it was dead. The hanyou took a quick inventory of his friends and their wounds. "Where's Kagome!?" He all but shouted, realizing she was gone.
"She lured the other one away," Sango said, pulling herself up pointing in one direction. "Hurry and find her!"
Inu Yasha nodded, shouting for Kirara to guard the others while he ran off into the woods.
***
He looked down at the unconcious, bloody woman he held in his arms. The nonsense she spouted before passing out was too ridiculous for him not to look into. As he expected she was fearful of him when he appeared, but she didn't seem scared of him but for him. He would have asked her then but with Inu Yasha fast approaching he had not time to deal with it then.
It was very strange, now that he thought of it, that he felt almost compelled to save her and then take her home with him. As though he completely forgot his obvious reason to show up to do just that. For a second he debated turning back and leaving the girl to whatever fate may befall her; be it recovery, infection, or death. However as quickly as the thought came it was swept aside, things had been boring lately, which was why he went to seek out the hanyou in the first place, perhaps things would be more interesting with her instead.
The barest of grins touched the Western Lord's lips, yes his brother could be entertaining, but now that he thought of it this resilient woman had her own baffleing qualities, and until his brother arrived in search of her (which he surely would) he could occupy himself by trying to figure her out. The decision made Sesshoumaru continued his flight towards his caslte.
----------------------------------------
Ok since there has been some confusion involving the incident with Kagome, I will explain. I guess I thought it'd be easier to figure out, but since I already knew what I was hinting at... yeah. So anyway incase it's not clear after this chapter
There's nothing mystical or coincidental about the her attack, (it wasn't Onigumo as one of my reviewers has thought) Kagome was raped, by some obscure (human)dirtbag who is now dead. The first time around Kagome remembers (vaguely) that she was brought into the hospital by the cabbie and a woman. BUT in this more recent (redone) timeline, some unknown man brought her in.
Chapter 2: Nightmares of the Past
In the morning he watched as she headed into the wellhouse, his presence masked in several ways. He knew what would happen, had happened. He wouldn't have to worry about her for the next month. Well he could worry but she won't be around to worry for. He already hated himself for letting her get attacked, that he had been too late. But that was fate, that was how it had to happen. Sensing the swirl of mystical energy from within the wellhouse he stood from his perch on the roof and left to tend to other business.
Kagome climbed out of the well, smiling at her friends as Shippo launched himself into her arms. "KAGOME!" the kit squealed. "We missed you Kagome!"
She hugged him and grinned, "Yeah I know, I missed you too Shippo-chan."
Inu Yasha was about to act as his normal brash self and ask her if she enjoyed her little vacation, but there were certain things about her that were bugging him at that moment. He looked at her clothes, which he realized were different from what she normally wore. Well she still wore a typical long sleeved shirt but it was tucked in. She also wore a pair of blue pants made of some fabric he couldn't recognize (which Kagome would later identify as denim). There weren't tight like the pants that Sango wore as part of her taija outfit, but it was definitely a far stretch from her usual short skirts. If the weather were getting cooler, which it wasn't, he would think nothing of this change in wardrobe. Her shoes were differnet too, they were white, laced and looked more secure on her feet seemingly much better for travel than the ones she normaly wore.
While she was greeting Miroku and Sango he took the opportunity to pick out her distinct scent. After two years he had learned all the intricancies of his friends' scents. The slightest alteration in it could tell him what they were feeling. And now he was picking out Kagome's.
He was slightly startled when he could smell some medicene on her, like that stuff she always brought back in her "first aid" kit. Kagome was wounded? This immidiately stole his attention and he promptly forgot to see about any emotional variations in her. "Kagome."
Kagome smiled as she turned to him, "Don't worry Inu Yasha I didn't forget you," she said pulling a bag of potato chips out of her bag.
"Can I talk to you a second Kagome?"
She looked at the hanyou, "You're not just going to yell at me for staying away for two and a half weeks are you?"
"No, I want to ask how you got hurt."
Kagome knew the question was coming, in fact she had heard it before already. "Kagome-chan are you alright?" Sango asked.
"I'm fine," she said. "When I was with my aunt and uncle I was careless." She lifted up part of her shirt to reveal the white gauze patch that was partially covered by her pants. "I tripped and fell on a rake." It was a lame excuse, she knew, but it was one that they would believe. "It's almost healed already, Mama was just being over cautious and she wants me to keep it covered until it's all healed."
"Well at least someone in your family's got some brains, sure know you didn't inherit that from her."
"Osuwari." WHAM! "And you certainly haven't inherited any manners either."
"Kagome-sama has a point there Inu Yasha. You could learn to develope some more tact." Miroku said one hand reaching around behind San-
WHAM! He then joined Inu Yasha on the ground. Sango growled at the monk, "And you houshi could do the same!"
Kagome laughed, it had been too long since she could enjoy her friends' company like this. As the life around her began to degenerate into it's usual chaos Kagome relaxed into the moment, even as she found herself angrily sitting Inu Yasha. It was the comfortable famliarity of the moment that almost made her forget the days to come. But she would not have to worry about that till tomorrow.
The nightmares had not come for sometime in her view. But tonight they were upon her again, with more ferocity and horror. At the same time it was so real it was like the first time. It was as though that they had taken their absence to learn how to be even more torturous. Surprise and fear came first, the hand of some unknown monster wrapping around her mouth and dragging her into the darkness. It was a human monster, though deformed and ugy in her subconcious eye. His snake like tounge licking the side of her face as she tried to scream against his hand. She bit down, only to feel pain across her face as he punished her for her resistance.
Falling to the floor, her adventures allowed her to recover quickly and she ran. Unfortunately her fear impaired her judgment and she ran the wrong way. The beast in human guise was quick catching her and throwing her against the wall. Then white hot pain as the smooth metal found it's home in her side. "No running pet." he growled, but not in an angry way. It was crazed and lustful, which only increased her fear. As her clothes began to rip and she flailed helplessly, only to be beat upon again she prayed for oblivion, for unconciousness that her fear and pain would not allow. She cried and sobbed into the gag that kept her cries from being heard as he forced himself into h-
Kagome bolted up in the darkness, drawing in a sharp breath. Her breathing was ragged, her fear permeating the air around her. So much so that it was almost physical to her. She sat there a full minute before she realized that she had been silently crying. She quickly wiped away her tears and clamed herself. She was safely in Kaede's hut in Sengoku Jidai. "Kagome?"
She jerked slightly at the quiet voice. By now her eyes had adjusted to the light and she looked down at the kitsune beside her. "mm?"
"Are you ok Kagome? I can smell tears, and you're scared."
Kagome shook her head and smiled, "I'm fine Shippo, it was just a nightmare. A very bad nightmare."
"What was it about?" he asked sleepily. Content to go back to sleep now knowing that everything was safe.
"I don't really remember," she lied, hopping the kit was to sleepy to notice. "I just remember...feeling trapped, and pain... and alone."
"Don' worry.." the kit mumbled, his speech deteriorating along with his conciousness. "We'll never leave you alone..."
She smiled at him, laying down again and cuddling Shippo to her chest. "I know, thank you Shippo. Oyasumi." She kissed his forehead as he mumble a goodnight. Tomorrow she would have to be careful. She sighed, she would have to remember not to run off anywhere on her own tomorrow. Last time she had stormed off for some time alone after getting upset with Inu Yasha. Then of all people, she ran into him. With her still somewhat suicidal nature at the time she defied him outright. Inviting him to kill her even lifting her chin to give him better access to her throat. His warm and deadly hand had landed gently around her neck and flexed a few times as though he were trying to decide as she stood there, staring defiantly into his eyes. As he began to apply select pressure she realized he was not choking her, she could still breath. His thumb and forefinger pressing on the pulse points under her jaw. As the edges of her vision began to darken she remembered wondering what was going on before waking in his home.
Kagome sighed, she still never understood what it was that caused him to allow her to live. Even more so what made him think it was a good idea to take her with him. Probably that indominatable spirit of hers that he always went on about. Well not always. That was what he loved about her, that was why he sacrificed himself for her. She shook her mind out of those thoughts, "Go back to sleep Kagome," she whispered to herself, "it's pointless to worry about it now."
Inu Yasha sat there in the position he normally slept in, his ears twitching in her direction. He woke not long before she had, hearing her cry in her sleep. There was something bothering her deeply and he wanted to know what it was. After the immediate fear from the nightmare dispelled he could tell she was worried. She lied when she said she didn't remember the nightmare. Did she think it might be some kind of premonition? Scared, trapped, pain and alone... Naraku maybe? Or was she just being foolish? The hanyou clenched his teeth, he'd be on guard tomorrow, just in case. He'd protect his friends, after all they were all he really had.
Detective Hikawa sat at the desk looking over the information he had. It was odd, while people may have been in a rush he was surprised that no one could give him a description of the man that had brought the Higurashi girl inot the hospital. All he got was "tall" and "stange looking" but no one could seem to tell him what about him looked strange. One nurse, though, distinctly remebered that he had almost measured, well placed movements, like he always knew where he was going. When he asked how she knew this she said that she had taken dancing since she was a child and her brother was a martial artist who taught her some as well. The man had looked like he was ready to fight or flee at the drop of a hat. Strangely enough, while she had noticed this his features seemed to elude her and he did not stick around to see if Higurashi was ok.
Suffice to say, the detective was stumped.
Kagome ealized at some point the nex day that she was having some of the exact same conversations as before. That really hadn't bothered her, but the fact that during them her knowledge of the future was wiped off to the side, and she would only relaize it when the full memories returned. She was worried, it was as if fate dictated that certain things had to happen again, and if she couldn't change anything...
No, she shook her head, it was already a few hours past noon, when she had run into him last time she lived through this. Yes, things were still changing, but was it enough? Kami she hoped so. Unexpectedly and suddenly Inu Yasha made his hunger known, the others agreed, Kagome could use some rest herself anyway. Inu Yasha sniffed the air a bit, his ears twitching, "There's a river over this way," he muttered, "Hey Kagome you wanna come with me to get some water?"
She crossed her arms and raised a brow at him, "Are you implying that I can't protect myself?" she asked somewhat slyly.
"Nah," he grinned, knowing this was the beginning of their legendary verbal sparring matches. "You just reak of sweat." A split second later a instant later a flashlight collided with the back of his head.
"Sure why not," Kagome said walking past him as though she had never thrown the thing. "I could use the exercise," she clarified flatly.
They weren't but a minute from the others when InuYasha spoke up again, "Kagome is everything alright?"
"Of course, why wouldn't they be?"
"I heard you talking to the runt last night, and I can tell you're worried about something."
"It's nothing," she said turning her eyes from her closest friend, "It was just some bad dream I can't remember."
He took hold her arm and turned her towards him, "Kagome," he said softly, "You know better than to try and lie to me. Did something happen? Do you think your dream will happen? We've been through too much together to keep silly things like this from each other."
Her eyes began to burn, she didn't want him to know. He'd hate her, telling her she deserved it for being so weak. And then if she told him about her "premonition" he'd think she was just being stupid and silly. "Inu Yasha.. I..." She bit her lip and shifted her weight unconfortably. "I.. I was..." Before another word could leave her mouth she felt a rush of air in front of her followed by the sound of crashing. She looked up startled, Her eyes widened as she saw Inu Yasha pinned to a tree by a youkai that was an odd combination of a wolf and a gator.
"Run Kagome!" the hanyou yelled throwing the beast off, "Get the others quick!" He cut off the youkai from following Kagome, cursing himself for not noticing it sooner. The monster tackled him again and he slashed at it again, the youkai's scaled hide was tough and barely showed signs of damage. Drawing his Tetsusaiga he suddenly caught on to other scents, "Kuso..." He didn't know if she would hear him but he shouted out to her anyway. "KAGOME! He's not alone!!"
Kagome ran, familiar adrenaline running through her blood as she paused to string her bow while calling out to her friends, positive that at least Shippo and Kirara would hear. Sensing more youki she immediately pointed an arrow in it's direction only to see two more of the wolf-gators. "Kagome! He's not alone!" She vaguly heard Inu Yasha yell.
"No shit!" She screamed, knowing Inu Yasha would hear. She let an arrow fly, to her surprise the youkai dodged it. She began running back towards the camp and the others, but she was cut off by one of the predators. A shiver ran down the miko's spine as she recognized hunger in it's eyes, and though it was different it reminded her of that fateful night not to long ago.
A ball of fox fire popped up in the things face causing it to reel back in surpise, Kagome took off on a path perpendicular to the way she was running notching another arrow. She looked back and shot, noticing that now only one was following her. She jumped over a fallen log, paused long enough to shoot the youkai then kept running. Judging by the roar she had only managed to piss it off. "Great..." she panted, "I'm gonna get eaten... I just know it." She fired another shot a moment later, scratching it's hide again, but she paused too long. Her eyes widened as it's large tail swung around, slamming into her and throwing her across the forest floor.
Kirara had her teeth imbeded in the monster's tail as the Hiraikotsu collided with it's head. "Everyone get back!" Miroku shouted, reading to undo the prayer beads around his arm. Less than a second after Kirara retreated and Sango caught her weapon the monk let loose the power of the curse that Naraku had bestowed upon his family. "KAZAA NA!"
The youkai growled, imbedding it's claws into the ground, eyes glowing red. It let loose a roar and its tail whipped behind it, breaking through a tree sending it hutling towards the monk and his cursed hand. Their eyes widened Miroku shut the void while getting out of the way. A short distance off they could feel and hear the energy of the Kaze no Kizu.
Kagome's back slammed into the tree trunk, somehow she had kept hold of her bow. The point was moot however as the creature was too close for her to pull back an arrow. Fortunately over the years she had gotten better control over her powers. She winced painfully and pushed herself up, the youkai's massive claw came up, latching around her torso and pinning her to the tree. She felt herself being crushed, the sensation strangely reminicent of when Madam Centipede had pinned her against Inu Yasha and his tree. Gritting her teeth she focused on the arrow still held in her one hand, having already dropped the bow. The youkai pushed harder, and sharp pains kpt coming from the wound in her side. While she could tell this wasn't exaclty an intelligent youkai it was smart enough to have sadisitc joy in slowly killing her. Just as she was beginning to find it hard to breath she rammed the arrow into it's hand.
The youkai reared it's head, roaring in pain, immediately dropping the girl to tend to the burning in his paw. The arrow sizzled as Kagome grabbed her bow and another arrow. Its other claw came acros her in it's frenzied motion barely touching her but giving her a nice gash across her stomach meeting with and tearing her stab wound open again. The previous arrow fell to the ground having left a hole and two less fingers than the youkai had before.
It's head thrown back in pain and outrage she shot an arrow at the exposed throat of the youkai. Though it moved the arrow still went into the side of its neck. Oh yeah, Kagome thought, it's really pissed off... wow have I become cynical or what?
She ran again as the wolf-gator thing thrashed in another painful fit before she heard it coming after her again, she nearly lost the next arrow as she went to notch it, her head spinning a bit. Damn blood loss, she muttered to herself mentally. She almost went to shoot him again when a flash of white flew across her vision. It was so fat she might have thought the youkai she was fighting just sprung a leak and fell over. Thinking for a moment that it was Inu Yasha Kagome allowed her weak, exhausted body to fall to the ground. She panted heavily and looked up at her saviour as golden eyes came into view.
Her breath caught and her eyes widened as she recognized him. Kagome tried to push hereslf up, feebly crawling backwards away from him. "Not you," she shook her head, "Kami not you." He raised a brow as the seemingly delerious girl began to ramble, "It's not safe... you.. you have to.. to get away. Please, don't come... don't come near me. You.. you might..." Her vision began to darken from pain, exhaustion, and blood loss as she fell over into unconciousness. "Don't.. want you.. hurt...."
Less than a minute after he had used the Kaze no Kizu Inu Yasha was upon the wolf-gator that Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were fighting. Another minute later it was dead. The hanyou took a quick inventory of his friends and their wounds. "Where's Kagome!?" He all but shouted, realizing she was gone.
"She lured the other one away," Sango said, pulling herself up pointing in one direction. "Hurry and find her!"
Inu Yasha nodded, shouting for Kirara to guard the others while he ran off into the woods.
He looked down at the unconcious, bloody woman he held in his arms. The nonsense she spouted before passing out was too ridiculous for him not to look into. As he expected she was fearful of him when he appeared, but she didn't seem scared of him but for him. He would have asked her then but with Inu Yasha fast approaching he had not time to deal with it then.
It was very strange, now that he thought of it, that he felt almost compelled to save her and then take her home with him. As though he completely forgot his obvious reason to show up to do just that. For a second he debated turning back and leaving the girl to whatever fate may befall her; be it recovery, infection, or death. However as quickly as the thought came it was swept aside, things had been boring lately, which was why he went to seek out the hanyou in the first place, perhaps things would be more interesting with her instead.
The barest of grins touched the Western Lord's lips, yes his brother could be entertaining, but now that he thought of it this resilient woman had her own baffleing qualities, and until his brother arrived in search of her (which he surely would) he could occupy himself by trying to figure her out. The decision made Sesshoumaru continued his flight towards his caslte.
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Ok since there has been some confusion involving the incident with Kagome, I will explain. I guess I thought it'd be easier to figure out, but since I already knew what I was hinting at... yeah. So anyway incase it's not clear after this chapter
There's nothing mystical or coincidental about the her attack, (it wasn't Onigumo as one of my reviewers has thought) Kagome was raped, by some obscure (human)dirtbag who is now dead. The first time around Kagome remembers (vaguely) that she was brought into the hospital by the cabbie and a woman. BUT in this more recent (redone) timeline, some unknown man brought her in.