Disclaimer: Yeah, as much as I don't own Inuyasha, I own... the waitress who has no name... and Anko! (grins broadly)
Chapter Two - Trails
Kagome sighed loudly in an attempt to break the uncomfortable silence that was settling, but only seemed to make matters worse. "Shippo-chan...?"
The fox on the miko's shoulder sighed also, but in a more discreet manner. "I guess you could say Mirouku held the group together," the child murmured. "In more ways than one."
"Shut up!" Inuyasha snarled, whipping around. He glared at both the fox child and the other-worlder, fangs bared in anger. "Shut up... about that stupid monk," he hissed. "You're talking as if he's already dead!"
Sango stiffened and fisted her hands at her side, body trembling. "Houshi-sama wouldn't... die that easily."
Kagome ducked her head, embarrassed at the outbursts she'd caused. Shippo sighed againa nd hopped down, springing up into a tree, scanning the distant horizon.
"What do you see, brat?" the hanyou yelled.
"Trees! Wait! There's... there's smoke!"
"You think a village was attacked?" the dark-haired reincarnate gasped.
"You sound surprised," Inuyasha muttered. He ran ahead, taking to the air after a short while, leaving the others to catch up. He rushed across treetops then dropped into the center of the smoke, using his sleeve to cover his sensitive nose; the stench of burning flesh was overwhelming. "Damn it...!" the hanyou hissed. 'Only Naraku would do something this awful.'
"Inuyasha!"
"Kagome. Stay back!" The triangular ears twitched and Inuyasha turned in the direction of the sound they'd picked up.
"Inuyasha!"
He ignored the yells and ran further into the smoke, eyes watering.
"...mommy."
His eyes narrowed and he punched through a still-standing door.
"Mommy..."
"Who's there?!" he yelled.
A small gasp.
Inuyasha dropped his arm, staring at the child cowering in the corner. She was surrounded by bodies that had had a blade taken to them—'Kohaku.'—and his only assumption was that she'd hidden somewhere in the room, left to watch the massacre. "What's your name?" he asked, less gruff than he would normally be.
"Anko," the girl replied meekly, bottom lip trembling.
The white-haired half demon sighed and held out a claw. "Let's go." Tears overflowed from violet eyes as the child ran over to him. Inuyasha closed his arms around her small frame and left the crumbling home.
Kagome breathed a sigh of relief as the kimono-clad hanyou strolled from the smoke, rushing forward to see if he needed assistance in any way possible. Inuyasha dropped his right arm to show the child now resting.
"Sole survivor," he muttered.
"We have to get her to Kaede's," Kagome reminded urgently.
They nodded. Kirara transformed to carry the miko, taijiya, and fox with Inuyasha leading the way through the afternoon sky, child in arms.
After the earlier incident with his original party, Mirouku slowly cast himself aloof, subjecting Rin to play with the stick-in-the-mud toad. He walked a few feet behind of Sesshoumaru, silent as the grave and pulling bright-colored flower petals from his loosed hair. He yelled in frustration, running both hands through his hair erratically. "Damn... stupid... youkai!"
Sesshoumaru stopped walking, stepped to the side, and watched the monk storm by.
Mirouku slowly stopped and turned, dropping his hands from his hair. He stared at the lord through sudden ebony bangs, lips pressed thin with self-restraint. "Why are you stopping?" he muttered angrily. "Am I so much of a burden that you'd kill me right here?"
It was a pleasant thought, but no; Sesshoumaru closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye and Mirouku flinched as the other raised a claw. There was a surprisingly gentle tug in his hair and he opened his eyes to see two twin petals flutter sideways to the ground.
"Thanks," the human rushed out, overcome with shock.
The youkai snorted and turned away. He looked to the sky to see Ah-Un hovering nearby, then behind him to find Rin annoying his servant as they waited for his next move. The brunet's movements made him glance back and the silver-haired demon watched the monk pull his hair back into the small ponytail.
Sesshoumaru sighed and continued walking, trying to have little regard to those who traveled with him. He never asked to be followed and he never wanted strays. 'They're all useless...' The youkai lord developed a hard scowl.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin ran up, circling Mirouku before falling in step beside the long-haired male. She pouted cutely as he continued to ignore her then took the edge of the empty sleeve, tugging. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"What is it?" he half-snapped.
"Rin's hungry."
Mirouku smiled, crossing his arms over his chest.
"The monk will find you food."
His smile dropped into a scowl and his mood, once again, turned sour. "How am I supposed to do that?! I have no staff." He spread his empty hands for emphasis.
"Make do."
Mirouku grit his teeth and mentally cursed Sesshoumaru into leading a Hell-filled lifestyle. 'He already does.' The dark-haired young man whined but held out his hand. Rin smiled and bounced over, taking it. He forced a smile for her sake then looked around.
His survey of which area would be simplest to hunt in was interrupted by the demon's voice: "Ah-Un will go with you to lead you to me."
"Lead, to you... You're not staying here?"
Sesshoumaru gave a sinister smirk and turned away from the humans with a toss of his silver hair, Jaken scurrying after him like the pathetic loser he was.
"Sadistic, son of a..."
"Mirouku-sama!"
"Hmm?" Mirouku answered with a nervous laugh.
Rin was none the wiser to what she'd prevent herself from hearing and continued smiling. "Rin knows where we can go."
"Great."
She squealed as he lifted her onto his shoulder.
§§§
"Rin. I love you so much," Mirouku whimpered, raising the cup of o-sake to his lips. He drank slowly, allowing himself to savor the strong liquid, knowing he'd never get another chance. Rin smiled brightly with a tilt to her head.
Rin had remembered seeing a distant make of the village when they'd left Inuyasha and kept the direction in mind. The village was one of the few—and he'd been in just a few—with decent dining accommodations, and they had no trouble in finding a place, especially with the monk's wily charm.
Their servant sat by the open door of the room head lowered in a slight bow.
"Rin thinks we should take food for Sesshoumaru-sama." Out of nowhere; spontaneous.
Mirouku's blue eyes bugged out and the chicken he'd just ingested became lodged in his throat, vibrating with every hack.
"Mirouku-sama!" Rin sprang up and ran around the low table, pounding the man on the back. Mirouku gagged, croaked, then greedily sucked in air as the piece of food flew out, leaning forward to brace himself against the table.
The servant came running back with a glass of water, distress written across her pale face. She gasped as it was snatched away and downed, then relaxed.
Mirouku raised his head with a sigh and grinned. "No worries," he breathed. "Just a little accident."
The blue-haired woman nodded and took up her spot back at the door.
Rin frowned and sat next to the monk. "Rin was so scared."
"Ha! If attacks from Sesshoumaru can't kill me, you think a piece of chicken can?"
"I guess not," the girl sighed with a smile. "So, do you think we should?"
Mirouku laughed sheepishly. 'She doesn't give up.' "I'm not sure he'll eat it, but, okay."
"Yay!"
He laughed as she hugged him, placing a hand lightly atop her back. 'Such a young child, but she puts all trust, faith, and hope in a demon.' Mirouku smiled wistfully and ran his fingers through her long dark hair, earning a bright grin.
With the wrapped food gently in hand, Rin led Mirouku back to Ah-Un, the beast left on the outskirts of the village to prevent panic, and allowed him to lift her onto the two-headed creature's broad back. The monk climbed on also and both humans left it to Ah-Un to do as told and get them back to Sesshoumaru.
Kagome watched Inuyasha with a masked smile, amazed at how much she still had to learn about him. The hanyou's ears twitched and he looked back with a frown. "What?" he huffed.
"Nothing," Kagome giggled, shaking her head and hands innocently.
Shippo was outside with the taijiya, leaving herself, Inuyasha, and the young girl in Kaede's hut. In truth, the half demon had not left the side of Anko's futon since the moment the elderly miko had finished treatment. There had been nothing serious, just a few cuts and bruises. Kaede had suggested she Anko sleep until the smoke inhalation effects wore off and gave her an herbal potion to deepen her slumber.
Inuyasha turned back around, staring down at the small body. There was a Band-Aid on each side of her face, courtesy of Kagome. He folded his arms over his chest and scowled. 'Naraku...' His golden eyes widened. 'She can tell me!'
Kagome's hand took a hold of his as he reached out to shake the child into waking and his head snapped in his direction, the hanyou wondering why he hadn't heard her.
"Let her rest," she instructed. "I guarantee, in a few days, she'll tell you something."
"A few days," Inuyasha scoffed, snatching his hand away from the smiling teen. He stood and stomped out of the hut.
Kagome pulled the covers up to Anko's shoulders, sighing. 'She looks just like him on a new moon.' She brushed the raven locks behind the child's ear then sat back with a smile. 'And she'll never leave his side.' Anko whimpered softly, but relaxed once more, remaining asleep.
A/N: Z.z (fast asleep at her computer, sawing down an entire forest) I really don't want to be one of those authors that take a month to update... because, well, I have no life...
Actually, I do, but I always work around it. Anyway... ta-da! (poses) The second chapter. Hope it's not too short. (rubs kink in shoulder) ...Mou.