Fallen Grace

Chapter 4

So Called Chaos

We set off running to where it sounded like the music was coming from. When I felt it…

"I sense something." I stopped running causing the others to look back at me.

"What do you mean?" Sango calmly asked.

"I can't really describe it; I just can feel something…" I myself didn't really know what I was taking about. I guess being a mortal has a lot more to it then what I thought.

"We don't have time for this!" Inuyasha nearly shouted.

We started running again; I silently cursed myself for bringing Shippo along. He was still a child himself after all…

The flute kept playing, but wherever we ran, we never could find it. Our paths all ended in dead ends and we found ourselves back where we started.

"We aren't getting anywhere." The hanyou spat out in frustration.

"It is true, every turn we take; we end up back here…" Miroku agreed. His eyes fell on the deaf kitsune in my arms. "We could use Shippo…"

I stared blankly at the monk. How could he suggest such a thing?! Who knows what this youkai is doing to those kids!? And now he wants to give Shippo to him, now I really regretted bringing him.

"No! He is innocent!" I turned to hide Shippo in attempt to protect him. But it was futile.

"Kagome, I don't want to either, but we have no other choice. Miroku is right…" Sango added, wearing a frown.

"But Shippo…" I looked down at his confused look. He couldn't hear anything but he knew something was up; he was smart enough to guess what we were talking about.

"It's ok, Kagome. I will be fine." Shippo smiled at me, I couldn't help but want to give in.

"Anyways, we will be right behind him. We aren't going to let anyone hurt Shippo." Sango stated.

Sighing I did as they wanted. I placed Shippo on the ground removing his only protection from the spell. His eyes went blank and he started to walk in trance away from the music with us following silently behind.

I wasn't walking for long before my body grew lazy and my limbs tired. Yawning again I realized what was going on.

"It's that spell…" I yawned. "The ones the villagers mentioned…" I finished, yawning again.

Shippo was still walking ahead, his pace much faster then our own. I couldn't find the strength to move as fast he did let only even move.

"Kagome is right…" Sango was yawning now. "Why didn't I think yawn about it before…"

"Stupid youkai with his damn spells." Inuyasha muttered. His strong hanyou body was also being weigh downed from the affects of fatigue.

Miroku dropped first. The spell had been too much for him. I was afraid the rest of us weren't far behind.

"Miroku…" Sango said. With those as her last words, I assumed she must have fallen too.

"Inuyasha, we can't fall asleep too…" I looked back at the half awake hanyou. I would have thought he was asleep if he wasn't still walking.

"Inuyasha!" I shouted with the little strength I had.

"What Kagome?!" He shouted back oblivious annoyed.

"We… we can't… fall asleep." I barely got the sentence out before I, myself faded into unconsciousness.

"Kagome, Kagome wake up…"

I groaned and rolled onto my back.

"Kagome, please…" The voice was gentle and caring.

I opened my eyes to a dark figure outlined in the sun's rays. Squinting my eyes I saw the familiar hanyou in view.

It wasn't him talking to me was it?

"Just a few more minutes…" I moaned rolling on my side away from Inuyasha.

"Kagome!" Yelled the inpatient hanyou.

In a moment I remembered what had happened.

"Shippo!!" I sat up too fast banging my head into Inuyasha's.

"Shit, Kagome…" Inuyasha complained rubbing his head.

I rubbed my own head in pain, "You think that didn't hurt me too? Where are Sango and Miroku?"

He pointed to the couple laying a few yards away, I giggled at the scene. Miroku laid face down with his arm outstretched over the waist of a sleeping Sango who slept on her back.

"Did you do that?" I asked amused thinking of what Sango would do when she woke up.

The hanyou shook his head, "No, they fell asleep like that." He couldn't help but smile himself. "Should we wake them up?"

"We don't have time, we have to find Shippo. Kirara will lead them to us when they awake." I stood up brushing of my skirt, Inuyasha stood up too.

"And just how do you suggest we do that?" The hanyou asked in his smartass way.

I turned around him facing him fully. "Trust me. What do you have to lose?" He eyed me suspiciously but gave in anyway. He motioned for me climb onto his back. I did, pointing in the direction for him to start running.

"I hope you know what you're doing Kagome..." The hanyou said while following my directions.

I hoped the same thing; really I had no clue where I was leading Inuyasha. I followed my sense and could only hope that it would lead me to where Shippo and the rest of the children were.

Wrapping my arms around the hanyou's neck I hoped I knew what I was doing. I only had a faint sense to guide me but I could feel it growing stronger as Inuyasha went in the directions I told him to go.

We had to find Shippo and the others, and so far, my sense was the only thing we had to guide us.

"Look!" I shouted causing the hanyou to pause in the branch, he saw them too. "The children... what is wrong with them?"

A group of children were gathered around a hut, on closer inspection they still seemed to be in some sort of a trance. Some stood, while others sat on the barren ground but all had the same emotion-less stare. I searched their faces until I came upon the one I knew.

"It's Shippo!" I whispered.

"I know that, but where is the youkai?" Inuyasha asked.

"I would guess inside the hut." He must be, there seemed nothing else around for miles.

The hanyou jumped through the trees, to the edge of the clearing.

"It's in there, I can feel it." I thought out loud.

"Feel what-" Inuyasha started.

"Sh, something is happening..."

It was true, one of the boys had moved from his spot against the hut. The curtains of the hut opened, and he disappeared inside. It seems none of the others took notice of his absence as they stared blankly off into space.

"It was the flute... he is using it to control them" Inuyasha mumbled.

I couldn't hear the music but figured that must be what he was using. Suddenly he jumped from the branch again into the clearing. I was glad I hadn't relaxed my grip, still surprised from his sudden movements. I climbed off his back walking to the group. They didn't notice either of us there, but I crept around them as I might awaken them from their slumber, which seemed highly doubtful.

"He might be safer out here." The hanyou behind me said. I stood a little shocked that he knew I was going to go for Shippo but then wrote it off because it was pretty obvious my intentions.

I nodded, agreeing with him.

Being here spooked me out, all the silence and their faces. The flute had stopped a little while ago, giving the environment an even more suspenseful atmosphere. Even Inuyasha seemed more careful and calmer then he usually was when it came to youkias.

He pulled out the Tetsusaiga, instantly transforming to its larger form. Taking suite, I pulled out my bow unsure if I had very used it before. Despite not remembering it, it didn't feel awkward in my hands, but natural. I readied my arrow as he stood in front of the entrance to what now seemed a large hut.

"Are you sure you can use that thing?" The hanyou asked with a smirk. Was now really the time for such things? At least it took my mind of the increasing anxiety for a moment.

"We'll see." I replied with the same smirk.

He pulled away the curtains presenting a barren room. It was lightly furnished but no one was in it. My heart stopped for a second.

"It's here, I know it!" I said frustrated. It could still sense it, as if we were on top of it...

"I smell him." The hanyou sniff the air. "He is here." Pulling up a rug, it showed no other then a trap door.

I followed him closely as he approached it, he glance back at me questioning if I was ready.

For the second time my heart was pounding and I could feel the adrenaline kick in. I nodded as he opened the hatch and crawled in.

"Inuyasha, where are we?" I whispered. Wherever we were, it was very dark. The trap door closed behind us with a light clunk. I tried to find it again, to give us some light, but had no such luck.

"Be on your guard Kagome, he is near by."

"How do you expect me to do that if I can't see!?" I retorted. I couldn't even see the bow and arrow I held.

"Stop hiding in the shadows! I know you're here!" The hanyou yelled at the walls only getting an echo back.

I put the bow at my side. It was too hard to follow my sense since I was so close it; it was still very new to me. I put my hand out in front of me, walking until I felt the cold stone of a wall. Moving along side of it until it disappeared.

"Inuyasha, over here." I said in a hushed tone.

I heard his steps behind me. I grasped in the darkness for him, but he was out of my reach.

"Inuyasha!" I grunted. My hand reached for him again; still I could not find him.

I didn't hear him anymore, but where could he had gone? Am I all alone now?

"Inuyasha…" I mumbled.

I sunk to my knees, leaning against the wall. Should I wait for him? What else could I do? I don't want to be alone…

Pulling myself from the ground, I walked back the way I thought I came. Reaching out into the darkness, I soon lost myself. This was the first time I had been alone, when I was an angel, I never left the views of Inuyasha, Sango, or Miroku. But now I couldn't travel unseen, now I could really be alone. And I was… alone.

How big could this chamber be? Someone was watching me, I could feel it.

I screamed.

Something had touched my hand, but it wasn't Inuyasha, it was far too small to be his. Losing my balance, I fell against a wall. But, there shouldn't have been a wall there. Not if my sense of direction was right. I felt dizzy, slumping up against the wall. It was coming closer; I held my breath, begging for it to leave me.

"Please…" I mumbled.

You guessed it. Another cliff hanger, sorry about it. I'll put the next chapter up soon to make up for it. Thanks so much to The Killing Moon, lady.miko.death, jmama521, suaru, and Hikari Guardian!!! And a special thanks to Marsha a.k.a Inuyasha and to JadeElemental who told that Inuyasha's shirt was his haori/hakata!! Also another big thanks to Suaru and JadeElemental for being such loyal reviewers!! I love all you guys!!! Keep reading!!

-queenofsmiles

To be continued…