CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
x.
Sango came awake with a start, spluttering and coughing. Water was in her eyes, ears and nose -- something was dangling her like a baby kitten. "Wha-wha-" she gasped, flailing weakly. Then suddenly she was dunked underwater, and hoisted back out again.
"Sango! Quick, Kirara, put her down!"
Sango felt herself being lowered onto the ground. She coughed for a moment, then pushed the wet hair out of her eyes. "Wha-"
"Sango, quick!"
Someone was shaking her -- Shippo? Sango coughed up more water, then sat up and shook her head. "Sh-Shippo... what in the world happened to me? And why were you dunking my head in a stream?"
Kirara growled curiously. "Someone was running away, Sango," Shippo said. "They hit you on the head, and we had to wake you up somehow!"
All of Sango's memories flooded back -- Naku, the barrier, the forest, and... Inuyasha and Kagome? She gasped and began racing through the dark trees. Her head still throbbed from where Naku had struck it, but she stumbled on ahead, ignoring her own pain. She could hear Shippo and Kirara racing just behind her. The demon-slayer reached for her short sword...
And then she smelled it: Blood.
A lot of blood.
Sango's heart almost stopped as she skidded down a small hill. A flash of red was down on the ground, not moving. As Sango parted the branches, she saw Inuyasha sprawled out, rested against a tree. Great streaks of crimson blood stained the ground, the trees, and Inuyasha's own battered body. He wasn't moving; his face was as pale as the palest pearl.
For a moment, Sango feared he was dead. Then she saw Kagome kneeling at his side, holding his hand. "Sango!" her friend cried.
Inuyasha flinched.
"Kagome!" Sango called, racing across the grass to Kagome and Inuyasha. "What happened?"
"Inuyasha was fighting with Naku," Kagome said. "He drove him away, but he's... he's hurt." She clutched his fingers tighter.
"Are you all right?" Sango asked. "Naku didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No, I'm fine."
Sango breathed a sigh of relief. "And... and Inuyasha..."
"I ain't dead yet," Inuyasha mumbled.
Sango winced. She could see where all the blood was from -- Inuyasha had a great gash in his torso. A human would have been dead long ago. And even a demon would be terribly injured by such a wound. It amazed Sango that he had been able to fight with it.
Shippo and Kirara padded into the clearing. "Inuyasha!" Shippo squealed, launching himself at the wounded half-demon. "You look terrible."
"Y'ain't such a prize yerself," Inuyasha muttered. But he allowed Kagome to wrap his arm around her neck, and Sango to take the other arm. Slowly the two girls hoisted him up from the ground, being careful not to accidently irritate his wound. Sweat broke out on Inuyasha's forehead, but he didn't even whimper as the two helped him walk away.
x.
He was a lot heavier than he looked, especially considering how much he had bled. Sango wondered how much demons had to lose before bleeding to death. She just hoped that Inuyasha hadn't lost so much. She had hardly ever seen him so weak -- especially if he had only been fighting.
Suddenly another dark shape darted from the shadows. Sango instantly grasped her sword, reading to hurl it if Naku had decided to return to finish them off.
"Relax," Inuyasha mumbled. "S'only Miroku."
Sango let go of her weapon. But she didn't relax until she saw Miroku's handsome features in full. The monk's expression was one of relief as he saw her -- and then shock as he saw the bloodied, half-awake half-demon draped over their shoulders. "Inuyasha, what happened?"
"I got into a Go match with Sesshomaru, and things got outta hand," Inuyasha said sarcastically.
He must be feeling better if he can be cranky, Kagome thought. She looked at Miroku pleadingly. "Miroku, we have to get Inuyasha to somewhere safe first! Then Sango and I will explain."
"I agree," Miroku said tensely. "I just saw Kagura departing with Naku. If he failed to kill Inuyasha this time, I'm sure he will be back."
TO BE CONTINUED