CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

x.

"So..." Miroku mused. "You're sure that's what he said to Inuyasha?"

"Yes." Kagome wrapped her arms around herself. The night air was a little chilly, but the stars were shining and a cool breeze was rattling the dark willow leaves. The horrible events of that afternoon seemed far away, even with the wounded Inuyasha sleeping inside the hut. "He looked Inuyasha right in the eye and said, 'I am like you.'"

"Very strange," Miroku said pensively. "Did Inuyasha understand?"

"I-I think so. He looked really shocked when Naku said it. And when he was falling asleep in there, he said... 'I should have smelled it,' or something like that."

"A half demon that can't be told apart from a human?" Sango asked.

"It seems so," Miroku said, folding his arms. "If so, then Naku is even more of an enigma than we thought. And Naraku is employing him... so I doubt I'll have the chance to suck him into my wind tunnel."

Sango frowned for a moment, thinking. "Kagome... you said that Naku tried to behead Inuyasha while he was unconscious."

Kagome shivered. "Yes."

"Was he using an ordinary sword?"

"Um..." Kagome mulled the question over for a moment. Her forehead wrinkled. "Come to think of it... it was a little weird. It was... glowing green."

"Green? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Does this mean anything, Sango?" Miroku asked, leaning forward.

"It might," Sango said slowly. "It sounds like a sea serpent fang. I've never actually seen a sword made from one, but I did once see a throwing knife carved from a broken tooth."

"That's odd," Miroku said, frowning. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"That's because they're very rare. Out of all the demon-slayers, only one had a sea serpent fang. And that was because of luck, he said." Sango thought for a moment, then sighed. "You see, the sea serpents are hard to find, and even harder to slay, because they can retreat to deep underwater caves where humans can't follow. And when they die, their bodies sink. So even if you can find one, the chances of getting a fang are slim."

"I see," Miroku said. "Then this Naku must be a powerful half-demon, if he managed to get such a sword."

"Assuming he even had to fight for it," Kagome said hesitantly.

A silence fell over the camp. A chilly wind made the fire sputter, casting odd shadows on the faces of the three humans. Sango fingered her boomerang, still thinking about the green fang-sword. "Inuyasha was actually lucky," she said quietly.

"LUCKY?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"It sounds strange. But if a sea serpent sword had struck his throat, it would have killed him immediately. He woke up just in time."

x.

"So, Naku. You failed."

The deep voice of Naraku echoed through the forest. A cold wind rustled the branches, but did not touch the white baboon pelt that hid the demon from sight. Naku smiled slightly. "When I fail, Naraku, I'll be dead. Not until then. Inuyasha may have bested me today, but I left him wounded almost to death. If that monk and demon-slayer hadn't broken through YOUR barrier, I would be delivering you his head by now."

Under the baboon snout, Naraku smiled. "You have a point."

"I did make it clear that for this particular plan to work, I would require you to keep the monk and slayer away."

"So you did. Very well. Will my assistance be called for for your next diversion."

"No. At least, not as I think of it now." Naku's face darkened as he thought of that upstart puppy, writhing in his own blood, before getting up again to fight. Little bastard whelp, without the guts or strength that Naku had gained over the years. "I will kill Inuyasha. He's weak now, and even a half-demon will take a few days to recover from such wounds. If he fights me even a few days from now, he won't have the strength to keep me from slitting his throat."

TO BE CONTINUED