CHAPTER FOURTEEN
*
Kagome winced as she peeled off the bandage. Blackish blood was seeping from Inuyasha's wound, which STILL hadn't closed. She snatched up a piece of gauze and began mopping up the blood, wishing that Inuyasha would do SOMETHING -- twitch, whimper -- to show that he was more than a hollow shell. She dabbed more disinfectant in the wound and quickly bandaged it again.
He was doing better, though. His breathing was deeper. And when Kagome put her head to his chest, she could feel his heartbeat getting a little stronger. Now if that stupid wound would just close up, she could think that perhaps he was improving.
Kirara had given up on trying to get Inuyasha to wake up. Now she was curled up in the corner, looking dejected. Kagome rinsed off her hands in the bucket, then patted Kirara's little ears. The demon cat's response was to mew and nuzzle her fingers.
Suddenly there was a loud popping noise outside. Kirara bounced to her feet, sniffing the air.
"It's me!" Shippo yelled, running in the door. "Kagome, it's me!"
"Where are Miroku and Sango?" Kagome asked.
"That's why I'm back! Miroku's hurt and Sango told me to get Kirara so she could bring him back here!"
Kagome's stomach did a very unpleasant little dance. She watched as Kirara scampered out after Shippo, transformed into her larger form, and raced off over the treetops with the fox clinging to her back. Then Kagome began going through the bottles and dried herbs in her backpack. When they got back, she would be ready to treat whatever Miroku had.
First Inuyasha, and now Miroku... she thought. Oh man... what are we going to do?
Kagome stood up as Sango and Miroku appeared in the doorway, with the monk leaning heavily on the demon-slayer. Without seeing his face, Kagome knew that there must be something wrong -- Miroku's hand was within range of Sango's bottom, and he wasn't giving it a squeeze. "What happened?" Kagome cried.
Sango helped Miroku sit down on the floor. His face was pale and sweaty. "He was stuck in one of that demon's illusions," Sango said. "It was of fire. But even though it wasn't real, he's been shaking and faint ever since."
Kagome began digging through the various herbs. "So he didn't really get hurt?"
"No," Miroku mumbled in a dazed way.
Sango supported the wobbling monk. She looked upset. "Kagome, do you think... it somehow tricked his mind into thinking he was burned?"
"Or his brain just tricked itself," Kagome said. She poured dried leaves into a bowl of water. "Your brain can convince itself of all sorts of weird things..."
"How is Inuyasha?"
"He still hasn't woken up..." Kagome said. She handed the bowl to Sango. "Here, try to get Miroku to drink this."
Sango did as she said, coaxing the reluctant Miroku to drink the herbal water. He had barely finished it when he collapsed heavily against Sango, apparently fast asleep. "He ought to be better in the morning," Kagome said, putting a blanket over him.
As the sun set, the girls spoke quietly outside the rickety hut. Sango recounted everything they had heard and seen, and the village full of humans who had slaughtered one another. "We should go back and give those people proper burials," she concluded soberly.
"Once Inuyasha and Miroku are back on their feet, maybe," Kagome said.
Sango was quiet for a moment. Then, "Kagome... can I say something?"
"Sure. What?"
"I know Miroku will be all right in the morning, but..." Sango hesitated. "You should probably at least... consider the possibility that Inuyasha isn't going to wake up..."
"He'll wake up," Kagome said determinedly.
"Kagome..."
"His breathing is better than it was yesterday, and he's getting warmer," Kagome said with a hint of desperation. "He's going to wake up. I just know it."
She darted into the darkened hut, leaving Sango sitting alone under the trees. Inside, Miroku was sleeping soundly at the fireside, with Shippo dozing next to him. Kirara was standing guard, with her fluffy tails draped over Inuyasha's arm.
Kagome wasn't sure how, but she knew Inuyasha would wake sooner or later. He had lived this long; if he were going to die, he would have died already. She watched his face in the firelight, thinking of that terrible moment when she had seen the arrow in his chest, and realized who she had actually shot.
I'm not that different from Kikyo now, she thought, with tears in her eyes. The difference is... Inuyasha loves Kikyo... he forgave her everything she did to him in the past. When he wakes up, will he forgive me?
TO BE CONTINUED
*
Kagome winced as she peeled off the bandage. Blackish blood was seeping from Inuyasha's wound, which STILL hadn't closed. She snatched up a piece of gauze and began mopping up the blood, wishing that Inuyasha would do SOMETHING -- twitch, whimper -- to show that he was more than a hollow shell. She dabbed more disinfectant in the wound and quickly bandaged it again.
He was doing better, though. His breathing was deeper. And when Kagome put her head to his chest, she could feel his heartbeat getting a little stronger. Now if that stupid wound would just close up, she could think that perhaps he was improving.
Kirara had given up on trying to get Inuyasha to wake up. Now she was curled up in the corner, looking dejected. Kagome rinsed off her hands in the bucket, then patted Kirara's little ears. The demon cat's response was to mew and nuzzle her fingers.
Suddenly there was a loud popping noise outside. Kirara bounced to her feet, sniffing the air.
"It's me!" Shippo yelled, running in the door. "Kagome, it's me!"
"Where are Miroku and Sango?" Kagome asked.
"That's why I'm back! Miroku's hurt and Sango told me to get Kirara so she could bring him back here!"
Kagome's stomach did a very unpleasant little dance. She watched as Kirara scampered out after Shippo, transformed into her larger form, and raced off over the treetops with the fox clinging to her back. Then Kagome began going through the bottles and dried herbs in her backpack. When they got back, she would be ready to treat whatever Miroku had.
First Inuyasha, and now Miroku... she thought. Oh man... what are we going to do?
Kagome stood up as Sango and Miroku appeared in the doorway, with the monk leaning heavily on the demon-slayer. Without seeing his face, Kagome knew that there must be something wrong -- Miroku's hand was within range of Sango's bottom, and he wasn't giving it a squeeze. "What happened?" Kagome cried.
Sango helped Miroku sit down on the floor. His face was pale and sweaty. "He was stuck in one of that demon's illusions," Sango said. "It was of fire. But even though it wasn't real, he's been shaking and faint ever since."
Kagome began digging through the various herbs. "So he didn't really get hurt?"
"No," Miroku mumbled in a dazed way.
Sango supported the wobbling monk. She looked upset. "Kagome, do you think... it somehow tricked his mind into thinking he was burned?"
"Or his brain just tricked itself," Kagome said. She poured dried leaves into a bowl of water. "Your brain can convince itself of all sorts of weird things..."
"How is Inuyasha?"
"He still hasn't woken up..." Kagome said. She handed the bowl to Sango. "Here, try to get Miroku to drink this."
Sango did as she said, coaxing the reluctant Miroku to drink the herbal water. He had barely finished it when he collapsed heavily against Sango, apparently fast asleep. "He ought to be better in the morning," Kagome said, putting a blanket over him.
As the sun set, the girls spoke quietly outside the rickety hut. Sango recounted everything they had heard and seen, and the village full of humans who had slaughtered one another. "We should go back and give those people proper burials," she concluded soberly.
"Once Inuyasha and Miroku are back on their feet, maybe," Kagome said.
Sango was quiet for a moment. Then, "Kagome... can I say something?"
"Sure. What?"
"I know Miroku will be all right in the morning, but..." Sango hesitated. "You should probably at least... consider the possibility that Inuyasha isn't going to wake up..."
"He'll wake up," Kagome said determinedly.
"Kagome..."
"His breathing is better than it was yesterday, and he's getting warmer," Kagome said with a hint of desperation. "He's going to wake up. I just know it."
She darted into the darkened hut, leaving Sango sitting alone under the trees. Inside, Miroku was sleeping soundly at the fireside, with Shippo dozing next to him. Kirara was standing guard, with her fluffy tails draped over Inuyasha's arm.
Kagome wasn't sure how, but she knew Inuyasha would wake sooner or later. He had lived this long; if he were going to die, he would have died already. She watched his face in the firelight, thinking of that terrible moment when she had seen the arrow in his chest, and realized who she had actually shot.
I'm not that different from Kikyo now, she thought, with tears in her eyes. The difference is... Inuyasha loves Kikyo... he forgave her everything she did to him in the past. When he wakes up, will he forgive me?
TO BE CONTINUED