A/N: Hey everyone! Sorry for not updating in a while! I was busy with my other story, and my work schedule, so now I am going try to update at a reasonable rate with both stories. I have discontinued Gangs, until time and reviews allow. I want to apologize for future editing mistakes! My editor is slack and will die soon! LOL! I want to thank all the people who took a look and reviewed my Faith story. Thank you! On the with the story!
Disclaimer: Besides a few DVDs and stories, I am afraid Inuyasha is not mine. Oh, but don't cry.... Because...umm...I dunno...crying makes your eyes all red and puffy!?!? Ewww!!! Well, anyway I don't own it...so don't sue!!! Please
Sango and Miroku were casually making their way through the outer streets of the village toward Kaede's hut. Sango in her exterminator garb and excessive weapons was strolling quite sluggishly in comparison to her usual confident strides in the front of the group. Miroku who was acting in a similar fashion, tired, lingered not far behind the exhausted exterminator with the small fox kit resting sleepily on his shoulder.
They had just finished investigating a rumor of a shard in an unknown part of the eastern forest, but as usual ended up being a cold trail it the head of a normal rampaging demon's as the price. In the end when nothing turned up they all decided to head back and see if Kagome was back from her time once again. It always just seemed more right when the five of them were all together traveling in their many adventures.
They each played their own little part. Kagome was the glue that kept them together, Inuyasha was the strength that wedged them through difficult situations and conflicts, Sango was the determination that held the drive, Miroku was the reason and occasional humor that eased tension and made the wiser decisions. And of course Shippo was the innocence of the group that kept everyone in check, especially Inuyasha with Kagome's warning around. All of their attributes unconsciously drew them closer together and a diverse family.
They were exhausted for the long hike to and fro seemed to wane on their bones and muscles. Not to mention their lack of food which in turn made their stomachs ache with threatening and dangerous rumbles. Without Inuyasha's hunting skills and Kagome's 'future food' they were left to gather on there own, which was pretty pitiful even for them.
Miroku wasn't even trying to grope Sango anymore, as he was too exhausted to hardly lift his aching fingers let alone grope. He wanted Sango to rest however, because she had received a sprained ankle while on their futile mission and had refused and help from the lecherous monk. He sighed and wished Kiara were here. But of course his dutiful Sango had made her stay in the forest they had been scouting to keep an eye out until the next day to look for any strange occurrences that might lead to the actual shard they'd hope to come across..
He knew she was in pain as he watched her occasionally wince as she stiffly but firmly kept a measured pace that he had a hard time not accidentally bumping into her down the narrow road. He sighed softly as he gazed at her and noticed the all- too-familiar determined face and set jaw.
"She's so strong." He thought affectionately "I'm so lucky to be near a woman that's so caring, beautiful, passionate, independent, has a great right hook, can slay a demon and deck out a man in a single blow, can...."
"KAGOME!" A small shrill reached his ears cutting off his deep thoughts. Shippo, the small red headed kitsune, who had been dozing on the monks shoulder was now fully awake and bounded off frantically looking for something.
"Huh? Shippo?" He said under the weight of a slight yawn "What's this about lady Kagome? You know she has gone back to her own time because of her and Inuyasha's..." He let out a heavily sigh as he shook his tired head, "Big fight".
"NO!" The desperate child urgently continued, while his panicked searching increased wildly. Miroku gazed wide eyed down at the frantic kit near his feet in tired wonder at what was Shippo's secret to his limitless energy when The Kit started trying to tug him faster as if by strength and will alone to the village.
AS Miroku went with Shippo's pull past Sango and quickly down the path Shippo continued his frenzied banter and his small paws clung tightly to the minks purple robes in desperation. Sango had caught up soon, and had a worried look now etched upon her weary face.
Miroku just gazed at her and chuckled. "Now Sango-sama, there is no reason Kagome could be back with the disagreement her and Inuyasha has this time. So please relax, and if she is kind hearted enough to return this early, I'm sure she is perfectly safe and in no danger." He said with small nods toward the fast approaching village.
"She is here! I just know it...and something is wrong...I can smell fear, anger, and.." He sniffed the surrounding air quickly. "She's HURT!"
And with that he bounded from Miroku and Sango and proceeded wildly toward Kaede's hut, which had just then come into sight.
The now confused but worried Miroku set a small frown on his face as he lightly picked up Sango bridal style without permission and equally unaware of her cries of protest, and swiftly dashed in the direction of the small hut. Fatigue ebbed away, as concern for the young miko became increasingly present.
Sango's worry was beginning to increase with every second they came closer to the wooden hut. They bounded up to their destination and Miroku set the young indigent Demon Slayer down gently as they looked at each other unsure expressions and opened the door flap cautiously.
As they stepped they both let out of gasp of horrific surprise. Miroku, himself froze at the sight before him as he examined their young Kagome's shattered figure. He hadn't realized it was her till he saw the tattered skirt and sailor top she always wore. Something inside him seemed to snap as he wished he would have hurried as the fox kit had warned earlier.
Sango just held back a bubbling but rough sob as she and Miroku quietly sat down and took in the scene before them. She had totally forgot about her injured ankle as she watched the scene before their eyes. Sango looked over her best friend's torn body and couldn't understand what could have happened that could have caused that much extensive damage. Silent worry began to slowly manifest into growing fury as she gazed upon the healed scars upon the miko's face and her exposed flesh that had obviously ripped open. Her once flawless pale extremities were now adorned with bloody gashes and abrasions. Her left eye was black and bruised, and swollen beyond normal vision limits. She also could see Kagome's lower torso, which was exposed from her freshly ripped modern clothes, there was a neatly crevice angular wound that was now bleeding freely. Her green ruffled skirt was now torn and dirty from the mingled blood and muck that covered her bare upper thighs and knees which also had deep scrapes embedded with gravel and splinters. Her pale face and limp form made their dear friend look as if she was a broken doll.
As they examined all this, something that became equally shocking was Inuyasha's emotional actions. He was rocking Kagome back and froth slowly and softly, while all the time stoking her damp sticky hair as he gazed at her with a look that neither had witnessed before.
They slowly inched their way forward more and saw Kaede ringing out bloody rag after rag and washing them to be reused. As she gathered more clotting herbs and turned for powdered remedies she finally noticed their presence. She nodded solemnly at them in a saddened 'welcome home' gesture and returned to her bitter work. They noticed how the older Miko ignored the constant protective growls coming from the worried Hanyou and their bewildered state increased from Inuyasha open state of innocuousness. It was obvious that is instincts had taken over and without Kagome in commission something might need to be done to sedate him safely.
Kaede started to chant incoherent phrases and words as she quickly spread the strange herbs upon the many deep wounds that covered the poor victimized Kagome.
Miroku just sat silently straining to catch the sacred chant that Kaede was softly muttering as she was finishing the wrapping of the last major wound with much difficulty due to the half demon's strong grip on the young girl. She sighed tiredly as she leaned back and started to sop up the stray puddles of blood that were covering her rough wooden floor.
They all sat silently, besides Shippo's constant sobs and sniffling, Inuyasha's heavy breathing and growls occasionally, and Kaede's busy scrubbing. The three newly arrived group members didn't know what to say in fear of causing conflict. However they wanted and needed answers in order to be of any help or service.
As Kaede finished up her futile cleaning she stood up wearily and looked down in a dispirited fashion at Kagome's pained, pale face.
"It is just as I feared..." Her heavy sigh hung on the dense air of the room as Inuyasha growled low at he new voice. "But of course I could be wrong. I pray to the Great Kami above I am wrong." She said bowing her head in fatigue.
She slowly came back to her former position in front of the pair after discarding her herbs and bandages and softly uttered to the half-demon.
"Inuyasha, will you please set her down on the mat so that I may now examine her more thoroughly and....." .
But once again she was cut of sharply by another harsh low growl.
"I will not leave her side! She's hurt, and she needs to be protected so she won't get hurt anymore because of my slack job....she needs...me...to protect her," He said almost softly unsure as if asking for reassurance.
Suddenly Kaede lost her temper partly for fear of the wounded girl's condition.
"Ye know her condition is frail and any wrong move could lead to a fatal position....any delay could tip the scale toward her death." She calmly retorted.
Miroku knew the Kagome must have lost a lot of blood by the sight of the former puddles and the faded crimson trail on the hut's dusty carved floor.
"She will not....not die. She can't...die." He said in a small broken voice and pleading eyes. Kaede truly understood for the first time that without Kagome Inuyasha's Will to live and be happy would cease to be.
Silence blanketed over them as a deafening silence grew once again and they shifted uncomfortably at the Hanyou's weak defiance. No one knew how to respond. They had never seen the helpless side of the "Strong inuyasha".
Suddenly Kagome let out a tortured shriek and started to convulse furiously. Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise and horror as the young girl stood up sharply, opening her freshly mended wounds and causing red to freckle and streak the bandages sickeningly.
The dumbfounded Inuyasha, who had been violently knocked to the side in the procedure, quickly recovered from the shock and bounded over to the anguished Kagome who now stood shaking uncontrollably and holding her head and chest roughly. She sobbed as she screamed in gasping breaths.
"NO!!! STOP!! Please...just stop....it...HURTS!! Inuyasha! Please, please just help me!" She cried desperately while clutching her head and hair in attempst to claw it out.
Inuyasha was immediately at her side and as he stood there trying to figure a way not to her or let her hurt herself anymore, he noticed her anxious and panicky scent over the sickening smell of the blood filling the hut. He was afraid of grabbing her, in fear of reopening any more of the wounds that hadn't been ripped from her sudden outburst.
"Kagome!!! What's..."
He had tried to yell precariously but was unable to finish as Kagome let out a cry similar to a wounded animal and ran blindly outside, through the swinging flap while sobbing uncontrollably.
They were all up at that point and followed her out of the old hut in the cool evening. Inuyasha, who was the first to dash after her, bounded out and searched for her scent first. However when his eyes caught her first he saw her shaking petite form crouched at the edge of the clearing beyond the hut.
He leapt over there to find her crouching on her hands and knees panting as blood steadily began to pool around her. He gently pulled her into his arms in their previous sitting position and began to rock her back and forth once more unsure of what else to do. He also began to add some pressure on the more serious gash upon her bleeding stomach and pelvis area. He unconsciously rubbed her unharmed arm as to keep her warm while shaking his own weakness off to put his full attention on his love's grave condition.
Kagome.....please...." He pleaded, as his voice stuck in his throat. "Your hurt! Really bad...so please come back inside and let the old hag help you....".
He stopped not knowing how to continue or how to coax her inside. He knew he had to get thorough to her before it was too late. He winced at the thought of what "too late" could be.
"What the heck is going on, and why is this happening? I don't understand what is even causing this. This couldn't all be from Sesshomaru, and Naraku's scent isn't anywhere around here." He shook is head furiously as he felt his demon blood start to rush in his ears at the thought of Kagome in the clutches of either demon. "Could it possibly be a spell? A spell like that Black priestess cast that one time? " All he knew was that his Kagome was in hurt and in pain and he had to do something.
As she continued to sob and shake under the confusion and pain, her blood started to flow more freely and soak through her already soiled bandages. He could feel his demon instincts pressing against his human reason and it was getting harder to suppress. It was telling him to protect her and save her from this pain.
His eyes had just started to bleed crimson when he felt her start to wither and grope around as though she couldn't see and was trying to escape from unseen danger. She let out a muffled cry as she pulled her balled fists to her chest whimpering.
She slowly calmed under his strong arms and he could hear a whisper come from her. He could barley make it out but he thought she was calling his name. He pulled her closer and saw hurt and sorrow fill her half-lidded eyes as he watched her form her next words with much difficulty.
"Inu....yasha. I'm...so...sorry..".
He just sat there in shock as it was replaced by sudden sadness that swept over him as he kept looking down at her crumpled form that was asking for his forgiveness.
"Kagome....."
He couldn't finish his sentence as unknown tears threatened to shed. So he just pulled her closer to his chest to help relieve some of her pain and started standing to take her back inside, however at that time she suddenly collapsed limply in his arms. He froze in impulsive dread.
She was lying there pale and slack in his arms with her dull eyes half lidded and face drawn into a frozen pained expression. He was pulled sharply from is attempts to revive her when he heard the other's sharp alarms behind him.
He pulled her gently closer and protectively growled, as a familiar hated scent reached is strong senses. He let out a low growl and turned his head sharply to the dark aura that surrounded them, and then enveloped them totally. Inuyasha's eyes were only blood red narrow slits by the time his dark chuckle filled the air.
R&R please!!!
Thanks & God bless!