Chapter 8: FINALLY

Disclaimer- do not own Inuyasha or other famous names in this fiction.

InuYasha continued, now trailing the rest of the group with Kagome on his back. His hip cracked as he raced, his fire rat kimono failed to show the blood spurting from his wound. The mismatched group ventured deeper into the forest, splashes of sun light sprinkled the forest floor. InuYasha leapt over a mass of tree roots, miss-stepping on his landing. He went forward, crashing down into the soft dirt. Kagome yelped, holding on to InuYasha's long silver hair.

"Lady Kagome! InuYasha! Are you two alright?" Miroku stopped short, turning slowly, seeing the couple in a piled mess. Kagome crawled up and off of InuYasha, rolling him over on to his back. He looked usually pale. Aeris sniffed lightly, her eyes growing wide.
"He is bleeding."

Cloud stepped forward, "Miroku and I will check him over, seeing as we cannot see the wound, it must be under his clothing." He stooped beside the hanyou, scooping him up into his arms. "This way Miroku." Cloud headed behind a large tree. Once he was out of the sight of the girls, InuYasha was laid on to the ground. "Better yet, Kaede, come and examine him, I don't know much about demon anatomy." He walked out, while Kaede walked in. The group waited patiently for what seemed like hours. Kaede came back with a grave expression.

"It is a rather serious wound, he will heal, but only if we find a village to stay in. I do have an idea where we can stay. If I remember correctly, Koga's pack lives near here, and if Aeris could send out a call, he could be here soon."

Aeris grimaced. "Fine, I'll call him."

Aeris pointed her face skyward, calling out into the sky. She finished her call, and then twitched her ears, listening for a reply back. Soon a melody of calls came from a short distance away.

"Someone is on the way here."

Kagome looked around, nervously. "Sango, you know how Koga gets around me; do you think he will back off and let InuYasha heal?" She asked worriedly. Sango walked over by her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Kagome, I cannot honestly say, but tell him to back off if he becomes a problem."

A blur swept down from the trees, and there stood the wolf Lord Demon Koga. His blue eyes stared at Kagome, his mouth turned up into a smirk. "So you finally decide to dumb the mutt, and go for a real man, eh?"
Kagome glared. "This is not the time or the place. InuYasha is seriously hurt, and he got that way protecting me. So will you help us get him to a safe place?" Koga looked disappointed for a moment, and then sighed. "Yes, I'll get him."

Kagome let out her breath, which she had been holding. Sango gave a small supportive smile.

Koga stood, holding the limp hanyou. "Lets go, I have a spare bed." They followed him, Aeris naturally weary of the male demon. Soon they came upon the wolf village, the pack members looking at Kagome, and began smile brightly.

A small wolf child giggled, and came running up. "Sister Kagome! Have you returned to wed Master Koga?" Kagome knelt down, her eyes soften, "No, my friend is hurt in battle and we are trying to help him heal, Koga has been nice enough to help us." She stood, seeing Koga motion for her to follow him.

In a small hut, InuYasha lay on a straw bed. "Kagome..." InuYasha whispered, his claws searching in his half consciousness
"He is seriously hurt, I will have the doctor make up some tonic for him... Kagome, I know you do not love me, and doubt you will ever, but thank you for calling on me when you needed me." And with that he was gone from the hut.

Kagome took a seat next to InuYasha. She held his hand tightly in her own, small clear tears forming. "I am sorry InuYasha, I will help you heal." She lay next to him, feeling his strong arm pull her close to his side. "Don't be sorry....stupid girl."
Kagome smiled.

Naraku brooded in a corner of his castled, holding a small cup of tea. His eyes glowing red.
"Sephiroth, come forward." The silver haired man stepped forward. "I thought I asked you to finish off that hanyou and his human woman?" He said in a low voice, hissing from his small, tightly pressed mouth.

Sephiroth frowned. "Is that why you went your witch after me? Kikyo is it? She showed up, interfering with my work." He drew his long sword, a threatening gleam running its blade length. "If it wasn't for her, I would have their heads in hand for you, along with the jewel." He felt a pang of guilt hit is heart, something else he had never had. Kikyo was changing him some how.

Naraku stood, smiling. "I do agree, the woman can be very aggravating. We will search them out at dawn. Rest, feed, do what ever, meet me outside at dawn."

Sorry for the long time it took to post a new chapter, I am sorry. This chapter is short, but it leads into the next, which I plan to be much longer.