"Kagome-chan, wake up." Sango shook the sleeping girl, but got no response. "Kagome-chan..." she shook her harder.
"Wha..." Kagome opened her eyes and yawned. "Sango-chan, is it morning already?" she slowly sat up and stretched.
"Yes, it's morning." the demon exterminator answered. "Are you hungry?"
"No..." Kagome said and looked at Inuyasha. She sighed sadly, seeing that he hasn't woken up, yet. "He's still unconscious..."
"Yeah..." Sango sighed.
"Where are the others?" Kagome asked.
"Shippo and Houshi-sama are fishing at the river and Kaede-sama went to see a sick villager." Sango explained and helped Kagome pack her sleeping bag. "Listen, Kagome-chan, Houshi-sama said it'd be better if we don't tell Inuyasha about what we did to save him. You know how he is."
Kagome looked at her friend a little confused but then nodded. "You're right, Sango-chan, he'd freak out if he understands that someone else is protecting him."
"I didn't mean it like that..." the other girl started but decided not to continue, for some reason.
As the two girls were packing they heard a quiet moan and immediately turned to Inuyasha. He, still asleep, rubbed his nose and turned to his right side. The girls rushed to him, seeing that he was going to fall into the small fire. They caught him and pushed him on his back. This, however, startled him and he woke up.
"What the hell..." he mumbled and the next thing he knew was that Kagome was hugging him. "Kagome..."
"Oh, God, Inuyasha! I'm so glad you're ok..." she held him tighter.
The confused hanyou looked at Sango and she made him a sign to hug back. Inuyasha did as he was told and Kagome relaxed in his arms. After a few seconds she pulled away and looked at him, smiling. He scratched one of his ears and suddenly remembered about...
"That sound!" he exclaimed. "I don't hear it anymore!"
"You don't hear it? Really?" Sango pretended to be surprised.
"Yes!" the hanyou nodded. "What happened? Did you find the source?"
"No, Inuyasha." Kagome answered and avoided looking him in the eyes.
Just then Miroku, Shippo and Kaede entered the hut. They talked about how Inuyasha felt and if he really wasn't hearing the sound anymore. Although it had stopped, the others managed to make the hanyou to search for the source. One could do miracles with Inuyasha if using his dignity!
As they were exiting the hut Kagome suddenly felt dizzy. She stumbled and almost fell on the floor. Inuyasha caught her and steadied her. She heard him ask her if she was alright but somehow it felt difficult to talk. Inuyasha shook her a little and she suddenly snapped to reality.
"Inuyasha..." she said, still dazed a little.
"Kagome, what happened? Are you ok?" the hanyou asked, obviously worried.
"Yes, Inuyasha, I'm ok." she answered.
"I suggest you stay here and rest, child." Kaede came to her to feel her forehead. "No fever..."
"The old hag's right." Inuyasha said and let the girl go, turning toward the door.
"No, I want to go." Kagome protested and held his right hand's sleeve to turn him to her. Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off. "Do you want me to say it?"
The hanyou quickly shook his head but then decided he looked stupid, giving up so easy. "Feh. Do what you want. But when you start whining about being tired I'm not..."
"Oh, just shut up and go." Kagome pushed him out of the hut.
"Where to, Inuyasha?" Sango asked when they were out.
The hanyou looked around and started sniffing the air. He thought he caught an unfamiliar scent but it quickly disappeared. 'At least I know the direction now.' he thought.
"It's this way." he pointed toward the forest and motioned for Kagome to climb on his back. Once they were ready, they ran in the pointed direction.
"Are you sure we're on the right track, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked from Kirara's back.
"That was the only new scent around here." the hanyou answered and stopped at a small clearing. He sniffed the air again but this time he didn't smell anything unfamiliar. He then put Kagome down and started to sniff at the ground.
It was early afternoon and Inuyasha was still sniffing around. At least he wasn't at the same clearing. The others were fallowing him without saying even a word. The more time passed the more irritated Inuyasha became and soon his own low growling was the only thing that could be heard. Suddenly he stopped and stood up. The others looked at him confused and the next thing they knew was Inuyasha running ahead of everyone.
"Inuyasha, wait for us!" Kagome yelled after him.
Kirara quickly transformed and Sango and Kagome climbed on her back. Miroku and Shippo ran along side the cat demon. Inuyasha was too fast for them to run side by side, but at least they hadn't lost him, yet. After some running the hanyou stopped at a large field. The others stopped behind him and he made them a sign to stay there.
Inuyasha made a few steps forward and suddenly the earth started shaking. The ground under his feet opened and he barely avoided being caught by a long black vine. He jumped back to the others and then from the ground came out a big black monster. It didn't have a head on its shoulders, but on its chest. Long sharp teeth could be seen in the head's opened mouth. Its eyes were blood red. Instead of fingers on its arms the monster had five long vines. His whole body was cowered in some kind of sticky substance.
"Ew!" Kagome stepped back. "Disgusting!"
"What is this thing?" Inuyasha turned to Sango.
"I have no idea." she said. "I've never seen something like this!"
Inuyasha growled and drew Tetsusaiga out. He prepared to attack but the monster suddenly spoke.
"Inuyasha, why aren't you dead?" the creature asked in a loud rough voice. "How are you even able to move?"
"You were the source of that fucking sound, weren't you?" the hanyou growled at the ugly monster and held his sword ready. "You're gonna pay for making fun of me like that!"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled behind him and he turned half way to look at her. "It has five shards!"
"What?" the others couldn't believe their ears. A demon like this would be a real big problem than they first thought.
"Who gave you the shards?" Inuyasha shouted. "Oh, fuck you. Of course it's Naraku..." he jumped toward the demon and slashed with his sword.
Before he could make the Kaze no Kizu the demon caught him with his left hand's vines and threw him at the ground. A small crater formed under the hanyou's body. Seeing that, the others prepared to fight. Sango threw her Hiraikotsu just when the demon was lifting Inuyasha and cut the vines. The hanyou fell back on the ground and Kirara flew to him. He climbed on her back and she took him to Kagome.
"Inuyasha, are you ok?" she asked.
He dusted himself and stood up. He looked at Kagome and saw that her face was too pale and she was barely standing on her feet.
"Kagome, are you alright?" he asked her and held his arms on her shoulders.
"Yes, yes..." she said and thought of an excuse which would fool Inuyasha. "That demon is just too disgusting..."
"Feh. Stupid girl." Inuyasha said, obviously calmer about her. "Just stay out of the fight then."
"Inuyasha, a little help here!" Miroku yelled as a vine caught his leg and was about to lift him in the air.
Inuyasha leaped toward the monk and cut off the vine. Sango saved them both from another few with her Hiraikotsu and they all ran a safe distance away from the monster. Kagome was a few meters aside, with Kirara and Shippo.
"You two," Inuyasha turned to the monk and the demon exterminator. "What's wrong with her? Tell me now. She looks like something's draining her energy."
"Inuyasha..." Miroku started with the intention to tell him everything but Sango cut him off.
"Can we talk about that later?" she asked impatiently. "We have a demon..."
"Now I see why you're still alive, hanyou." the monster laughed and that caught Inuyasha's attention.
"What do you mean?" he asked and made a step forward.
"There's a barrier around you." the demon started. "You have a jewel shard too."
"No I don't..." Inuyasha said but from Kagome's surprised gasp after the monster's words he knew he had.
"That girl is keeping the barrier from shattering." the demon snarled. "Let's see if she can hold on after that!"
As soon the demon had finished talking, his mouth opened wide and a strong pulse went through everybody. Kagome shrieked and held her head. Inuyasha turned toward her and ran to her. Just when he was about to reach her the barrier around him became visible and shattered. Only the aura around him remained. The sound returned in Inuyasha's ears but not loud enough to affect him the way it did before. He was already by Kagome's side and caught her as she started falling.
"Kagome, Kagome..." Inuyasha shook her gently. She whimpered and pulled him closer, holding the front of his haori. "Why didn't you tell me?" he stood up with her in his arms and brought her to Miroku and Sango.
"Inuyasha, we..." Miroku started.
"Keep her safe." the hanyou said, not looking at them. "I'll deal with you later..."
"I almost got rid of that stupid barrier of yours." the demon laughed as Inuyasha charged at him. "I'll give it another try..."
The same strong pulse went through everybody again and the aura around Inuyasha disappeared. He turned to Kagome but she was calm and the others were standing strangely still. Inuyasha ran to her and saw that she was becoming slightly transparent.
"What the..." he pushed Sango and Miroku away and kneeled next to the girl. "Kagome... What is happening to her?"
"You drained her energy and now she'll die." the demon laughed yet again.
"No..." Inuyasha shook her. "Kagome, wake up... Kagome!"
She opened her eyes and her body started glowing. She smiled at him and then turned into many small lights which quickly faded away. The others just looked shocked. Inuyasha looked at his shaking hands and saw red.
"Kagome..." his voice sounded somehow rough and the others immediately knew what was happening. The Shikon jewel on his rosary started glowing and turned to its original form. The claws on his fingers grew longer and he growled. "You are going to pay..." he stood up and turned toward the demon, a red aura starting to surround him.
"I made you angry..." the demon said indifferently, knowing that the real fight was about to begin.
Inuyasha stepped forward. His eyes were still normal but the gold was starting to turn green, his claws and fangs were longer, and there were purple marks on his cheeks. He raised Tetsusaiga in font of him and attacked. The demon sent a stronger sound wave than before, hoping to affect Inuyasha. But the hanyou just continued running toward the demon. It met the attack with its vines, which caused a huge explosion, and dust and smoke surrounded them.
TBC