Chapter 2- The Assassin's Arrow

Inuyasha wrapped his arms around Kagome gently pulling her closer to him, "Kagome!!" he yelled, as her head fell lifelessly backward and her knees buckled. The others, who had been frozen in shock until this point, where by his side in an instant. He scooped the lifeless Kagome into his arms and held her out to Miroku who took her in his.

"Take care of her, I'm going to find out who did this." He ran out the door without any further comments. Sango ran after him.

"Inuyasha wait!" she screamed as she made her way outside, she realized she was yelling only to the empty night air. He was already gone. Sango turned her head back to the scurrying going on inside then to the woods. Inuyasha will need my help, but so does Kagome.

Kirara poked her head around from the side of Kaede's hut and looked at her master in full demon form. "Kirara," Sango commanded, "Go look for Inuyasha, make sure he stays out of trouble." The cat slowly nodded her head and took off. Sango walked back into the commotion of the hut.
Inuyasha ran towards the woods, tracing the scent of Kagome's blood to the point where she was shot. He hated the smell of Kagome's blood. It was a reminder of her mortality. This world is too dangerous for her. He thought, if...no, when she's better, I'm making her go home...for good. The grass which was stained with her blood seemed to be patted down, as if someone had tried to clean it up. Maybe Kagome put her hand on it, I'll have to check her hands for blood stains.

He reached the spot and saw the larger puddle of her blood where she'd initially been shot. He turned back to look at the hut, amazed at how far she'd actually made it without passing out. When he turned back to the task at hand he scanned the area.

Just on the outskirts of the woods, by the sacred tree. He couldn't pick up any scents but Kagome's blood. Whoever did this to her was long gone by now. The he hear movement behind him and spun around whipping out the Tetsigua. A low growl welcomed him as he stared right at Kirara.

"Damn it Kirara!" he yelled, "What the hell are you doing? I coulda killed you!"

The cat just looked at him then walked over to the puddle of Kagome's blood and sniffed it. She let out a low mournful whine. Inuyasha sheathed his sword. "Yeah, I know. I'm worried too. Let's get back and see how she's doing."
Miroku lowered Kagome to the mat that Kaede had prepared for her. Sango was at his side keeping the unconscious girl rolled on her good shoulder.

"We need to take this arrow out." Miroku claimed as he reached for it. "Stop." Kaede called. She picked up a cloth from the pile and wrapped it around the arrow's tip. "It's a good thing she is passed out for this. Be careful, Miroku, do not touch the arrow tip, I believe it is poisoned."

Miroku nodded and broke the section of the arrow sticking out of Kagome's back, then he slid the rest through, detaching the arrow from her. Then with the help of Sango applied pressure to the wound and wrapped it as best he could. Kaede took the arrow pieces and began to examine them as Inuyasha walked in the door.

"How is she?" he demanded.

Sango worked at cooling her fever by placing a cool cloth on her head while Miroku finished with her bandages.

Kaede was the first to answer him, "It is still too early to tell, Inuyasha. What did you find?"

"A lot of her blood, whoever attacked her is gone." He sighed at his inability to immediately capture the culprit. But when he did this guy was going to wish he'd never been born. He clenched his fists at the thought, so much that his claws dug into his own hands causing tem to bleed.

Kaede noticed this and once the others were finished getting Kagome comfortable she said, "I think I may have some clues." A heavy silence fell upon the room before she continued. "This arrow has 2 red feathers and one black one, this is the universal sign for the Luwi assassins. Those associated with this group wear 2 red feathers and 1 black one in their hair, or on their armor. They are the most feared assassins in the land. They are mercenaries, doing the dirty work of the highest bidder, and they never fail. It is said that the leader of the Luwi assassins was a blood thirsty human warlord who wished only to have the powers of the demons. This warlord made a deal with a great demon, granting him eternal life as well as certain demon powers. In return, the demon got his own band of warriors to do his bidding."

"Who would have paid them to assassinate Kagome? Or was it the demon?" Sango asked.

"I don't think their all that tough," Inuyasha said trying to hide his true concern for Kagome. "Her blood was not far from the bushes that the assassin was probably hiding in, which means that they had a clear shot and didn't kill her immediately."

"I don't think they meant to kill her." Kaede mournfully looked around to the faces in the room. "This arrow tip was poisoned, but with what kind of poison I cannot say."

"What do you mean you can't say? Does that mean you don't know or you won't say it?" Inuyasha was now yelling.

"I do not know, no one does, except those who are a member of the Luwi Assassins." Kaede claimed. "It is up to Kagome now. She has to fight the poison until we know more."

Inuyasha growled, causing the other so be taken aback. He didn't seem to realize the low rumble was escaping. He turned and stormed out of the hut.
Sesshoumaru walked with Rin and Jaken through the woods. He had no particular venture in mind. He just wished to walk. He had no qualms with Rin coming along, but Jaken was getting increasingly jealous of the girl and insisted on being present whenever the demon lord took the girl anywhere. Sure, he could have commanded Jaken to stay away, but it would only breed more hostilities between the girl and the small green demon.

Rin was following quietly behind Sesshoumaru when suddenly he felt a slight tugging on his Haori. The demon lord stopped and looked down at her.

"Sesshoumaru? May I go pick some flowers over there?" The girl pointed to a field near by which was covered in wild flowers.

The demon lord nodded to her, she giggled with glee and took off down the hill. Jaken stood by his master's side. "Me lord, why do we cater to her every desire? We are always stopping our journeys so she can play, pick flowers, eat, and sleep, she is nothing more then a nuisance."

Sesshoumaru kept his voice in his usual monotone fashion, "Some could say the same about you Jaken." He never took his eyes off of the girl who ran around the dark field collecting a variety of flowers. Jaken intelligently kept his mouth shut, knowing it was better not to anger his master.

Sesshoumaru caught a strange scent before he saw the shadow run across the field. It seemed to be human, but it didn't smell entirely human. Then he saw the distinctive red and black feathers in its long dark hair. The demon took one powerful leap into the air and landed between Rin and the assassin. However it appeared the assassin had no need of them, and was only fleeing its latest victim. So he let it be.

He could hear Jaken struggling to hurry to them. Then he caught a more familiar scent. That is the scent of my brother's pathetic wench. The scent of her blood. However, he didn't smell or hear his brother in pursuit of the assassin.

"Come, we have to go visit someone." Was all he said as he turned and headed towards the village that he heard his brother usually resides in.