A/N: Well. Two whole reviews. I just don't know what to say. By the way, thanks to those who actually did review! Shorter chapter than last, but I just wanted to stop where I did. AND please remember to review!!!!!

Disclaimer: I disclaim. Simple, neh?

Silent Scream

Open Mouth, Insert Foot

Kagome jumped into the well, enjoying the brief feeling of falling and the shining lights as she was gently placed on the well's dirt floor, five hundred years into the past.

There were two things that Kagome loved in the past besides her friends, and one of them was the night sky. There was nothing more enjoyable that gazing up at so many stars peppering the black night that you had never even realized were there before. And the other was the air. Kagome was born and raised in Tokyo, and if there's ever a thing that she couldn't have experienced in Tokyo, it was crisp, clean air. The air in Sengoku Jedai was bereft of pollution, and it just made Kagome feel good all over when she breathed it in. And that's exactly what she did as she hefted herself over the well's wall.

"Oh wow. Look at the stars," she whispered breathlessly to herself. Yes, she really did love the stars. Kagome looked around for Inuyasha, but didn't see him. She was usually pounced upon by him whenever she came back through the well. She waited a few moments, straining her eyes for any sound that would indicate his arrival.

She sighed when she realized he wasn't anywhere near. Kagome was slightly disappointed that the half dog demon wasn't there to greet her, or help her manage her large, yellow backpack for that matter. Inuyasha had always met her at the well. Why would this time be any different? Kagome's over active imagination began to act up as she made her way to Kaede's village, a good fifteen minute walk from the well.

What if something happened to him or one of the others? What if the village was under attack by a demon? Wait, I could probably hear the villager's screams if it was. Maybe I'm just overreacting. But, what if Inuyasha was with Kikyou?

This last thought made Kagome falter in her steps. What if Inuyasha was with Kikyou? A sharp pain stabbed at her heart briefly, before anger seeped into her mind, only to swiftly be replaced by a great lingering sorrow deep within her soul.

Kagome shook her head sharply to clear her clouded head. Don't be silly Kagome. What are the chances anyway? But no matter how much Kagome told herself that she was being stupid, she couldn't stop the nasty little voice from the more farther corners of her mind from whispering that she most certainly wasn't that stupid, and that the hanyou she loved couldn't possible feel the same way about the copy when he had the original, though slightly decayed around the edges, right in front of him.

Kagome sighed dejectedly.

Suddenly, a twig cracked, and broke. Kagome stopped, her pulse quickening, and stood very still. She strained her ears, hoping to hear what could have made that noise. Praying that it was only a fox, Kagome opened her eyes wide, and tried to make out the different shapes lurking in the shadows of the forest. Unfortunately, since it was dark, and the moon's light couldn't penetrate the forest's thick canopy, she couldn't see very well, so she listened for the sound to come again. She heard the crickets singing to each other, and she heard the wind rustle the leaves of the trees surrounding her, but she didn't hear any movement. But still, she waited a few minutes more.

Deciding it was just that imagination of hers again, Kagome relaxed. Heaving a sigh of relief, Kagome adjusted her backpack to a more comfortable position, and continued down the well-worn forest trail to Kaede's village, oblivious to the calculating gaze that followed her.

Kagome entered the village, and immediately saw most of the villagers crowding around something in the village square. The moon was bright enough to make out the frightened and sorrowful faces of the villagers, and hear the cries of others. Everyone was conversing loudly, and Kagome caught bits and snags of the conversations as she maneuvered closer to what everyone had crowded around, looking for either her friends or Kaede.

"-yes, she was found by th-"

"-barely sixteen winters-"

"-rents are devastated-"

"-blood everywhe-"

"-murdered-"

Finally she saw Miroku, standing next to Inuyasha, who was conversing softly with the monk. Kaede was kneeling next to a young girl's body, obviously in prayer. Kagome guessed she was praying for the girl's soul. An elder woman was sobbing loudly into a man's chest, who wore a grim expression. Kagome recoiled slightly when she recognized the girl. She had been the girl Kagome had seen carrying water to the village from the river every so often, and she had briefly spoken to her once. Kagome's nose flared at the smell of blood. The girl, for Kagome could not remember her name, was positively soaked in her own blood.

Kagome moved next to Inuyasha. "Hey, what happened?"

Inuyasha started when he heard her voice, and turned around to look at her. "When the hell did you get here?"

Kagome blinked. "I just got here. Didn't you smell me?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "The smell of blood is clogging up my nose, I can't smell a damn thing like I used to with all of this blood everywhere messing with my smell. Somebody really screwed this girl up, but I am definitely sure I don't smell demon on her, that smell I'd recognize, so it had to be a human that did this." Inuyasha eyes suddenly widened, and he scowled deeply at her.

"What?" asked Kagome confusedly.

"What were you doing in the woods by yourself! Gods Kagome! There's a murderer hiding out there, just waiting for his next victim! I don't need you walking right into his hands, wench!"

The unfairness of this statement made Kagome angry. "And how was I supposed to know that there's some insane psycho path out there in the woods! I just got here!" she whispered heatedly at Inuyasha, mindful of the grieving family of the dead girl just two yards away.

"Keh! You shouldn't have been in there, wench! A weakling like you wouldn't even stand a chance against an armed human! You can't even control your miko powers!" Inuyasha whispered just as heatedly back.

"Unlike that walking clay pot, Kikyou?" Kagome asked harshly.

"At least Kikyou was actually good at something besides finding jewel shards! She knew how to fight, and she had full control over her powers! You won't ever be half as good as Kikyou! You're just a shard detector!"

Kagome gasped softly. Inuyasha just crossed his arms and glared. He was obviously expecting her to come back at him twice as hard, but what happened next wasn't anything that he expected.

Kagome's eyes watered, her harsh expression of before was replaced by a look of hurt and betrayal. What Inuyasha had just said had just confirmed Kagome's fears. Inuyasha didn't see her as Kagome. He saw her as a second rate copy of the dead priestess and his former lover. He didn't care about her. He only saw her as a means to collect his precious jewel shards for him. Her heart shattered, and the dam on her emotions broke. That was when it happened.

SLAP!

A wide-eyed Inuyasha held his red cheek, ears flat against his head. He was stunned that Kagome had just struck him.

"You utter bastard," Kagome whispered, tears falling from her eyes. It was then that Inuyasha realized exactly what he had just said. Kagome fled to Kaede's hut, dodging around the crowd as she went.

Miroku, who had watched all of this silently, now approached Inuyasha, who was still dazedly looking after Kagome's fleeing form.

"I hope you realized what you have just done, Inuyasha. I don't think that she is going to forgive you for this one," said Miroku quietly. Kaede, who had also seen what had happened, approached the two.

"Ye are not going to win Kagome's favor anytime within the near future, Inuyasha. I suggest ye apologize quickly if ye want to salvage what remains of the young woman's trust," said Kaede as she went back to the deceased's family members.

"Oh Gods," Inuyasha whispered, "What have I done?"

"You've just broken her heart," said Miroku. He, too, left. And Inuyasha ran to the forest, afraid that if he stayed, someone would see the tears slowly falling down his face.

A/N: Yep! There ya go! I hope that was a bit more action than last time! I had SOOO much fun writing this chapter!

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