Chapter 4: Captured Again

"Inuyasha are you awake?" Sango's voice was soft to Inuyasha's ears.

Inuyasha groaned and opened his eyes. He sat up and looked around. The sky was dark. It was already long after sunset. The hanyo was seated in the middle of his forest leaning against a tree.

Sango smiled. "You're awake," Sango said and helped Inuyasha to his feet.

Inuyasha winced slightly and looked down. The gash on his arm was wrapped up tightly. The blood markings were dry and faded. "Where's Kikyo?" he asked remembering the person he chose at the shrine.

Sango pointed to the priestess on the ground. "Seems she takes longer to heal. Your wound was much more intense but she seems to suffer," Sango said with sadness in her voice. "Where is Kagome?"

"Naraku took her," Inuyasha whispered. "Where's Shippo he would be yelling at me now."

"He said something about going to get stronger. If you ask, Miroku went out to get some herbs for you when he awoke," Sango said handing a cup of water to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha refused to take the water. He jumped over to Kikyo's side and stared at her. She tossed and turned and winced in her dreadful sleep.

Kikyo's eyes opened softly. She saw Inuyasha hovering over her face, holding his breath. "Inuyasha?"

"Kikyo you're awake," Inuyasha said with a little joy in his voice. He smiled slightly.

Sango stepped over to Kikyo with a smile on her face as well. "You are not suffering anymore. That is good," she said and sat down besides Kikyo, with a bowl of soup. "Here this will make you feel better."

Kikyo took the bowl gratefully. She slowly drank the broth of the soup and ate the small amount of noodles. When she was done she set the bowl down and sat up straight.

"I'm back with the herbs for," Miroku started but stopped when he noticed everybody huddled around Kikyo. "So everybody is up and ready now. I'll be getting more water," Miroku said and laid the herbs down and was off again.

"There's something he's hiding. He will never seem to stay around when I'm here. Well he does sometimes but now Kikyo's here and he never stays," Sango said with a little worry in her voice.

Inuyasha shrugged. "It's going to be sun rise soon lets get some sleep," Inuyasha said and yawned.

Kikyo looked at the sky and felt something fall on her cheek. Sango and Inuyasha noticed it as well.

"It's snowing? It wasn't set to snow for another couple weeks," Sango said.

Kikyo shiver and Inuyasha noticed. "Let's just keep warm," he said and wrapped a blanket around Kikyo and Sango who were huddled together.

The three of them fell asleep after a short time.

I wonder why Miroku isn't here yet, Sango thought and stood up trying hard not to wake Kikyo. It was only an hour until sunrise and the snow was piled up.

She stepped into the snow and it reached her knees. The snow continued to fall but Sango left in search of Miroku.

Shortly afterwards, Kikyo and Inuyasha were both awake and on the move. They both had to get out of where they were because by now Naraku had known where they were. Inuyasha had known why Sango left and didn't tell Kikyo why.

"Kikyo," Inuyasha said softly as he looked at the shivering priestess who refused to wear something on top of her normal clothing.

"Yes Inuyasha?" Kikyo asked and looked at him. Just looking into the hanyo's eyes made her feel a tingle of warmth.

"Why is there so much snow?" Inuyasha said. He had no trouble what-so-ever getting through the snow.

Kikyo on the other hand was having a lot of trouble but refused to get help. "As we slept the snow piled up. For some reason the snow came early and hasn't stopped since," Kikyo said with sadness in her voice.

Inuyasha's ears slightly lowered. He heard the emotion in Kikyo's every word.

At last they stopped at the sight of the rising sun. Inuyasha hesitated but slowly stepped closer to Kikyo who admired the scene.

"Inuyasha I," Kikyo started. Her words were cut short. She felt it hard to breathe. She knew for a fact this was because of Naraku's miasma. He had planned to attack.

"All I wanted was your help and your love but you never offered it to me." It was a voice too familiar to Inuyasha.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. "Where are you!?"

"Right here," Kagome said and appeared in front of Inuyasha. She pulled his thoughts away from Kikyo by striking questions at him about why he hadn't chosen her. Inuyasha had no time to answer not one of these questions.

"I have to go Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. She walked past the spot where Kikyo used to be standing but wasn't now. Kagome quickly disappeared.

Inuyasha noticed Kikyo was no longer there anymore." Kikyo," he whispered. He wondered where she had gone off to without him noticing. It had finally struck him. "Naraku!"

"Do you have her?" It was Kagome's voice for sure.

"Yes I do. You did a good job of distraction," another voice responded.

Kagome came out from behind a door to see Naraku with Kikyo at his feet sleeping.