Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. Thank you reality, you have just mortally depressed me!
Animefanatic16- Thanks for the review. I wrote Buyo in for you, because he did kind of disappear.
Ilovecaptainjacks- Thanks for continuing to support me on your oh so important educational time. Ha-ha. Does the computer Apps Teacher not monitor what you guys do?
If you are excited about Halloween, review please.
PS- I'm sick, so if I accidentally write in things that don't make sense, I'm sorry.
Chapter 6- Protective Barrier
Flashback: "Inuyasha...?" Kagome asked timidly after hearing a surge in the Hanyou's voice. Without realizing what he was doing, Inuyasha curled his fist tightly around Kagome's arms and pinned her against the tree. He pressed himself close to her, causing her to scream out in a panicked desperation of confusion. Inuyasha's blood pulsed again causing the sensation to become even stronger as he curled his nails into the back of her arms, letting blood flow freely from the wounds....
Inuyasha's mind became increasingly powerless against his demon side. Even the screaming in his own head over threw the helpless Kagome's cry for help. The Hanyou's body shook with sexual greed against his strain to take back control of his own mind, but with a single thread of self control, Inuyasha was able to momentarily release Kagome from his grasp. Her arms were riddled with pain, and every fuzzy gray shape made them feel worse. Kagome clutched the trunk of the tree to balance her woozy feet, and her thoughts did back flips.
"Run," Inuyasha hissed from somewhere inside of him. Stricken with fear, Kagome could do nothing but produce tears. The salty stench was strong enough to give the Hanyou enough power to stumble backwards.
"Inu...?" Kagome's voice trembled off as she weakly stretch her arm toward the Hanyou who shrunk away from her.
"I SAID RUN!" Inuyasha flashed her a warning snarl. Kagome obeyed this time, and used surrounding trees to find the path back to the village. To further contain himself, Inuyasha seized his forearms and sunk his claws into them to form a temporary straight jacket. Despite his pain and want, he continued to hobble in the opposite direction of Kagome as fast as he could.
Luckily Inuyasha had been smart earlier to only take Kagome about five minutes from the village in case of danger. Shippo, who had been trying to get Buyo to tumble about with him outside the hut, was the first to hear Kagome's screams, and smell her blood. Miroku was distracted from his perverted attempts on Sango, near by, when he saw the little fox demon's face twitch. "What is wrong Shippo?" The monk questioned reluctantly as he drew away from Sango.
"Shhh, don't you hear that?" The fox demon returned in a whisper. Shippo was right. Off in the distance Miroku could make out faint screams. "It sounds like Kagome, and I can smell blood!" Shippo recapped for the monk at an alarming rate.
"Sango, we must go save Kagome!" Miroku started to run towards the screams, but Sango stopped him.
"Hold it right there. We can't get there on time by foot. Kirara!" Sango called for her two tailed pet cat demon. Kirara grew in size, so Miroku and Sango could fit. They hoped on, and took off without hesitation.
"Hey, wait for me!" Shippo pouted, because he felt left out. He pumped his little legs as fast as he could until he caught the tip of a tail, and was hoisted off the ground by the rising cat demon.
Kirara soared over the tree tops, with Miroku and Sango's eyes focused for a sign of Kagome. "Lady Kaede is going to kill us," the monk thought out loud.
"That's not what I am really worried about right now monk!" Sango responded with an emotional women's annoyance. "Don't you care about Kagome?"
"Of course I'm concerned, but remember Inuyasha wouldn't let anything happen to her. Besides, I don't know about you, but my thoughts can multitask." Miroku spoke into the wind as his eyes stayed directly ahead of him.
"I wouldn't be too sure of yourself, Miroku. The only scent left here of Inuyasha's, is dissipating in the wind." With one more huff, Shippo finished pulling himself up, and hung adorably close to Sango.
"Shippo, where did you come from?" Sango asked a bit confused. Before there was enough time to explain, something caught everyone's eye. There was a blue light seeping just above the treetops. Kirara lowered everyone to the site that lay just off the main path. Kagome lied unconscious in the fetal position, and was surrounded by a weak, blue barrier.
"Wow, she has learned how to use her power," Miroku said in aw. "And in such a short time too."
"That's great monk, but how are we suppose to help her if we can't touch her through the protective barrier?" Sango asked. Shippo bent near the perimeter of the orb, and whispered calming things to Kagome's sleeping body.
"It's ok, Kagome. It's only your friends, and you're in no danger. We only want to help you." Kagome began to lazily lift her head toward the small fox demon, and smiled.
"Shippo, I can see you in full color." She gave one more weary grin before dropping the barrier. Miroku helped Kagome up, and onto Sango's lap. Kagome lied very still, slowly picking up on the conscious world as the four traveled back to the hut on Kirara.
Sango burst into the hut with Kagome, giving Lady Kaede a fright. "What is wrong child?" The priestess asked while steadying her heart.
"It's not too serious, but her arms are both wounded. I'm not sure where, because there is too much blood." Sango explained as she rolled the wounded girl onto the front cot.
"That poor girl hasn't had an easy time since she got here." Kaede said as she pulled some gauze and herbs from her pockets.
"On a happier note, she has learned to use her powers." Miroku proclaimed as he entered the hut followed closely by Shippo.
"Really? Well isn't that something. She has such a strong will to live I suppose." Kaede began to hum as she gently wiped the dried blood from Kagome's arm. "Well this is interesting. She is marked by four small holes on each upper arm. Now what kind of Demon would attack like that?" Lady Kaede wondered out loud as she swabbed the holes with herbal medicine. There was an eerier silence as everyone pondered to themselves. "Have you asked Inuyasha what demon it was yet?" She finally asked just as she finished Kagome's bandages.
"That's the thing, Inuyasha wasn't there, and I knew he can be thick headed, but he's not stupid. I thought something might have happened to him, but Shippo didn't' smell his blood anywhere. We tried asking Kagome, but she hasn't responded since we put her on Kirara." Sango's speech trailed back into her own thoughts, and Lady Kaede took over.
"Whatever happened caused Kagome to go into a state of shock. It was just too much for her body while she was under the spell. Like I told her, she needed plenty of rest, because the herbs worked like ye body when you are sick, ye use double the energy. The part about Inuyasha has me thrown through a loop though. I know he would not have abandoned her for his life, and instead he would have fought to death." Kaede paused as she remembered the times she had seen the blushing Hanyou turn from facing Kagome.
"I wouldn't rule out abandonment just yet. I know he acts tough, but he is more worried about himself than others. So don't be so confident unless...Lady Kaede, are you trying to tell us that Inuyasha might love Kagome?" At the sound of Sango's last phrase, Kagome slipped out of her daze. The last thing she remembered was being pinned to the tree, and she picked up there again with a terrified scream.
"No, no child. Shh, it's ok," Kaede embraced her with a hug, and smooth her black hair down her back like a mother. Upon realizing where she was, Kagome began to sob, letting her emotions drain away. 'Why would Inuyasha do that to me? I trusted him,' was the only thought in her mind, and it plagued her like a broken record. "I know you're not feeling well, but I need ye to tell me what happened, so if it was poisonous I can treat it now." Kagome hung loose in Kaede's arms like a rag doll, and her eyes went dull. 'I remember it all, but I not sure I was there. Maybe it was a dream.' Kagome reassured herself until she felt some remaining pain suffocated beneath the pressure of bandages.
"Oh, Lady Kaede, it was Inuyasha!" Kagome spilled the truth through her mouth and by tears from her eyes. There was a unison gasp from her spectators.
"You can't mean that he did this to you, can you?" Sango asked with suppressed anger in her voice.
"It can't be. I've seen the way he watches over ye." Kaede said more directly to Kagome.
"But it was him! I remember. I had just asked him to tell me what it was like where we were, and suddenly he had me pinned to a tree. His hands trembled like he was struggling with himself to save me from his own grasps. He made a few deep throat sounding growls before he sunk his claws into the back of my arms. It was like they grew in size as they punctured my skin. He pulled away from me with great force, and commanded me to run. I don't know what I did to upset him!" Kagome took deep breaths her between sobs and hiccups. "I can't... Remember...anymore." She gave into her tears, and let her head rest on Kaede's shoulder.
"His nails grew ye say?" Kagome only bobbed her head forward in agreement. "Then you are very lucky Inuyasha has a strong will to protect ye dear."
"What do you mean, Kaede?" Sango asked for Kagome.
"Well Inuyasha's rational side wanted Kagome very badly, but knew better than to try anything. His Demon side took over, because the want was so great. When that happened he began to transform, and that's why his nails grew Kagome. Inuyasha is only half demon, and has no control when he is a full demon. That is why he fought it so much for Kagome's sake. If he did not care so much for ye, Kagome, ye would have been far worse injured." Kaede's explanation was very solemn. 'I didn't think he would try to hurt me on purpose, but it makes me uneasy to think that he can,' Kagome trembled a bit as she stared at Lady Kaede in aw.
"I'm tired," Is all that came from Kagome's mouth.
"As ye should be child. I'll help you into bed." The priestess offered.
"No, I'll do it for you," Sango said as she helped Kagome onto her feet and lead her into the back room.
Kagome squirmed uncomfortably against the blankets for hours. 'I don't know what to trust here. I whish I could just go home, but to do that I need Inuyasha to help kill Naraku. I do forgive Inuyasha, but I am allowed to be afraid.' She was distracted from her thoughts when she noticed a shadow pass her window. Listening carefully, she heard a second pair of footsteps join Kaede's in the front room. 'It must be Miroku or Sango, but they are both asleep. I heard them lie down an hour ago,' Still listening contently she heard Kaede gasp and call out a name in surprise. "Inuyasha! Wh... what are you doing here?"
A/n: Happy Halloween.