Author's Note: I am sincerely sorry for not updating sooner. I did have a great start to the new chapter, but then my dad reformatted the computer and put all my stuff onto CD's... I haven't yet found the CD with this story on it, even though I'm still looking. So I had to rewrite it, so here it is. Once again, I'm terribly sorry for the long wait! But thank you so much for reviewing! You have no idea how happy it makes me!
Chapter Eleven: Secret Damage
Shippou picked selectively at a few more berry bushes before bundling up the food he'd managed to snag. He and Kagome had managed to slip away in the nick of time. Of course, they'd been on the run through the surrounding forest since then, not daring to make contact with Kaede, Miroku, or anyone they knew. They also hadn't stayed in the same place long. With a sigh Shippou remembered he'd have to wake Kagome soon so that they could move on; she hadn't been getting much sleep in the past week.
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Inuyasha heard the door, but as usual he didn't bother turning to see who it was, nor did he bother trying to catch their scent. The food he'd been brought earlier for breakfast was still there, and as far as the servants knew, he hadn't moved an inch.
"Prince Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha blinked lazily, but his eyes were still steadily blank. A girl was incredibly close to his face, and he had the feeling that he knew who she was.
"Prince Inuyasha, please look at me."
Wearily, as though it took all his strength, he turned his face to her. This girl, whoever she was, cupped his cheek with her hand. Her hands seemed callous. Rough, unlike a woman's. What had she done with those hands that made them so rough? Better yet, what was it that he forgot about her? Who was she, exactly?
"My prince, what's happened to you? Please say something!"
Inuyasha blinked again, not saying a word.
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Shippou gently shook his companion's shoulder. After a minute, waking from an almost deep and sound sleep, Kagome woke. The tree bark was too rough to sleep against, and it was getting colder.
"Wake up Kagome; we have to get moving again." Shippou said quietly.
Stretching, she reached the apple that Shippou handed to her. "And just where are we going to go this time? Can't we just stay here?"
Shippou sighed patiently. "I know that it sucks big-time. Really, I do. I have had to live with it for most my life. But we have to keep moving until we're sure they aren't looking anymore."
Kagome instantly felt a pang of guilt. Here she was, whining like Yumari herself on her circumstance, and there poor Shippou was, an orphan youkai forced into savage living.
"Shippou, I'm sorry, I didn't mean--." Kagome began, but Shippou cut her off.
"Never mind it. Things have been rough." Shippou waved her off.
Apparently this kid was also wiser than she pegged him for.
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Kikyou gently shook Inuyasha now. Why wasn't he saying anything? "Inuyasha, can you hear me at all?"
Again, the prince made no coherent response.
"Does she really matter that much to you?" Kikyou murmured, lightly running her fingers down his cheek. "Does that servant mean more to you than I do?"
Reminding herself that he wouldn't answer even if she gave him the chance, Kikyou pressed her lips to his in a small tantalizing kiss. Inuyasha blinked, before opening his eyes wide in shock.
'Kagome! Kagome, I know what happened! I'm so sorry Kagome, I let you down...I—I couldn't protect you from them.' Something in Inuyasha's mind had clicked back into place. He remembered what it was about this woman that was so important.
She looked exactly like his Kagome. Her hair, her eyes, her height, the shape of her lips pressed against his. There were things that were different about this one. Her eyes held a shape of seriousness, whereas Kagome's were innocent as they came. And her hands! Inuyasha suddenly zeroed in on the feel of this woman's callous hands.
'This isn't Kagome! This is—.' With a pang of remorse and guilt, he remembered just who it was that happened to be pressed against his lips. 'No, this is Kikyou!'
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The servant was uneasy in his presence. Naraku was glad of it. If the servants became too comfortable, they might become brave enough to question him, and he did not want blood on his hands. That was not his way, after all.
"My lord, the demons have battled in the courtyard." At least the servants were good enough about keeping calm in situations like this.
Naraku kept his voice schooled, though he was sure the servant could hear his smirk. "And the victor?"
"It was the wolf, my lord." There was a quiver in the servant's voice. Perhaps it was best he tell the wolf himself?
"Bring Lord Shiro to me." Naraku ordered.
"But my lord," The servant dutifully.
"Do not contradict me," Naraku said in a deadly voice. "Do as I say, now."
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In a harsh movement, Inuyasha shoved Kikyou off of him and onto the floor. She hit the ground with a thud, and her face began contorting in anger.
"How dare you!" She hissed venomously.
But in a split second after she'd said that, Inuyasha's claws were at her throat.
"I think it's time that you left." He said quietly.
Inuyasha removed his claws, and stood up. Kikyou didn't need to be told twice to leave; she got up hurriedly and all but ran to the door.
"By the way, Kikyou," Inuyasha called when she had her hand on the doorknob, "If you try something like that again, I will kill you."
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It was agonizing pain.
Even for a youkai, this pain was incomparable. It felt like a thousand knives pushed deep into the flesh of his legs and chest. But Shiro bared it as he ran; if Naraku had sent a messenger to the Western Lands to tell of Inutaisho's death, then surely his son would have already taken charge. If anything, Sesshoumaru was a worse trade for Inutaisho. The pup was ruthless and seemed to have a blood-thirsty nature. And then Yumari, and that hanyou son of hers. Those three would be challenge enough for the new power of the jewel shards given to him by Naraku.
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"Houshi, we need a houshi!"
Kagome could barely hear Shippou's calls for a priest. Her arms were pinned in their last movement and the rest of Kagome's body was slowly collapsing to the ground. Her eyes were glassy and wide, her legs felt paralyzed.
'What's happening to me? I can't move—I can barely breathe!' Kagome thought.
She was panicking. Her heart was pounding furiously in her chest, and she struggled to take in the surrounding oxygen. 'Am I—.' Kagome couldn't say it. But she had to consider it; the pain was enormous and it was just getting worse.
As Kagome's body finally crumpled to the ground, she thought, 'Am I dying?'
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Miroku was barely out of the dojo when he heard the frightened calls from the kitsune child.
"Houshi! Please, someone help her! We need to find a Houshi!" The fox cried, jumping into the air and running around the body of a girl.
Miroku ran in the kitsune's direction, and barely ten feet to them he noticed who the girl was. "Kagome!" He shouted anxiously.
He skidded to a halt as the fox conjured blue flames in his paws. "State your name!"
"Peace, kitsune, I am Miroku, a houshi in training here. Kagome is my friend." Miroku said quickly.
"Can you help her?" Shippou asked, letting the flames turn to hot mist in the air.
Miroku began checking Kagome for signs of life, anything to figure out what was wrong. "I'm not sure, but I'll try my hardest."
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Inside Kagome's head, everything was turning into a blur. She saw purple and black, the blue sky overhead and something brown and fuzzy to her left. She couldn't think anymore. Kagome heard their voices, felt someone's hands...
Something was coursing through her. Stopping her movements, keeping her where she lay. What was it? Could it have been the food Shippou had stolen? The water from the river? Kagome tried to think back, but it gave her headache, making her stop. The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was a flash of white hair, and someone calling her name. A voice she knew...
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TBC...
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AN: I know that it has taken me a tremendous amount of time to come out with even this (I was working on it late last night and again as soon as I got home), and I meant to put more in it, but I need to do a little research for what's wrong with Kagome. Sorry to leave you all with yet another cliffe, I swear I don't do it on purpose. I'll take all your suggestions (and a few of them will be coming up in the next chapter! wink, nudge), and I thank you all again for your reviews!
-EmFallen