Her slender fingers gripped his haori, her terror stricken whisper barely reaching his ears over the rushing winds. "What…is…that?" the hanyou flinched, blinking and squinting to see through the swirling mixture of her hair and his own. What could he tell her? His words of reassurance would only prove to be visibly empty.
"It ain't butterflies, Kagome…" Not the sincerest of replies, but sufficient for the situation. Her brown eyes floated up to stare at him as he slowly lowered her to her feet, all the while retaining a firm grip on her arm. "They smell your blood." He stated blandly, pushing her behind him as the dinosaur-like birds began to circle overhead.
"My…my blood…?" The young miko glanced down at her bandaged foot, a red stain spreading across the white fabric. "What're we gonna do…?" She asked, a streak of lightening reflecting in her frightened eyes. He did not answer, looking around them somewhat frantically. "Inuyasha, what are you do…" His head snapped up, his grip on her arm tightening almost painfully as he sprang into the air, jerking her up with him only seconds before the pointed beak drilled into the ground.
"Damn it!" Landing with an arm secured around her waist, he spun around, claws extended. "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" A flash of yellow light exploded into a flood of blood and bone. Kagome closed her eyes and ducked down, holding tightly to the hanyou's leg to shield herself from the debris. "Kagome, this way!" A yelp could be heard from the girl as she was jerked to her feet.
"Where are we…" She screamed, another beak tearing the flesh of not only her arm, but Inuyasha's as well, ripping them apart. She fell back, scampering away from the attempting strikes at her legs. "Inuyasha!"
"Kagome!" The creature's wings split from its body, the hanyou leaping over its head to stand protectively over his companion. "Stay away from her!" Kagome shielded her face as his claws tore through the bird's neck, black blood splattering across her arm.
"Inuyasha!"
"Come on!" He tore past, snatching her wrist to pull her away from yet another attack. Glancing over his shoulder, he increased his pace, dragging the human girl behind him. He swiftly jumped an embankment, hiding himself and Kagome underneath it's mossy coverage. The demon's flew past, ever searching for their potential meals. Leaning out slightly, Inuyasha punched the graveled dirt. "They'll be back! Damn! If only I had Tetsusaiga! This would be nothing!"
"But you don't…" He turned to the trembling girl, her knees drawn to her chest as she gently rocked back and forth. Wiping away a single tear before it could fall, she looked up at her companion. "We're not getting home, are we? We're gonna die out here…"
"Quit talking stupid! Of course, we're gonna get home!" Inuyasha fell back against the dirt base of the bank, flexing his fingers while searching for a solution to their current dilemma. Kagome stared at him for a moment before allowing a small, appreciative smile to cross her face.
"Thank you." She whispered, knowing he would hear. He glanced at her silently, his shining, amber eyes then continuing to pierce the darkness in search of anything that might assist them. That's when he saw it and came up with a plan. One he knew she would not like.
Kouga narrowed his eyes and watched Tetsusaiga clatter against the floor, a brilliant, red aura surrounding its blade. "What's up with that thing?" he asked, inching closer. Sango and Kohaku looked up from viewing the rusty sword.
"Our only guess is that Tetsusaiga knows that something is wrong." The huntress shrugged, dusting her knees as she stood and silently stepped outside. Kohaku observed his sister momentarily before offering to play with the small kitsune, hoping to occupy them both. Miroku also watched the slayer's exit, biting his lip in thought.
"Are ye not going to follow, monk?" The old priestess asked, tending to the small fire.
"Pardon?" he asking, tossing her a quizzical glare. Kaede laughed softly, placing her hands on her knees.
"Ye fool many a person, Miroku, but fail to shield the single eye of this old woman." The monk responded with only a smile, using his staff to pull to his feet and follow Sango out of the hut. Kaede simply shook her head and sighed.
Miroku stepped outside, finding the exterminator sitting alone on the steps. "Sango?" She jerked around, a shocked expression on her face as she attempted to hide her tears.
"Miroku. Shouldn't you be inside helping Kaede find a way to Kagome and Inuyasha?" She wiped at her eyes and looked away from him. The young monk smiled, laying a hand on her shoulder.
"I was worried about you." He soothed, his smile widening along with her eyes as she looked back at him.
"Me? Why were you worried for me? I'm not the one in trouble." Sniffing quietly, she reached to the side and plucked a blade of grass. Miroku's smile faded.
"What's wrong, Sango?"
She laughed softly, breaking the piece of grass. "It's nothing." She continued her activity, refusing to meet his gaze. Without warning, he reached for her hand, pulling her into his chest. "Miroku!"
"This is hard for all of us, Sango. We are all worried for Inuyasha and Kagome. I just…" He paused, running a hand through her hair. "I just don't want you to think this is your fault."
"But it was!" She cried. "It was my fault! Kagome should've been with Inuyasha, but she was with me! If not for me, he would never have been absorbed bye the jewel, and Kagome wouldn't have gone after him!"
"Kagome is your friend, and I know that she would never blame you." He whispered, tightening his arms around her sobbing form. "As big of a jerk as Inuyasha may be, he would never blame you either." The slayer looked up, blinking as he stroked a thumb across her cheek. "No one blames you."
"Miroku…" She whispered, finding herself leaning closer. Both sets of eyes closed in anticipation, their lip only centimeters apart.
"Miroku!"
They pulled apart, eyes wide and cheeks flushed. The monk licked his suddenly dry lips, grabbing his staff and disappearing into the hut. Sango's eyes never left where he once sat, her hand pressed against her chest to feel her pounding heart. Not until Miroku's voice echoed from inside did she move, shaking away the shock before running inside.
"What's going on?" She asked, desperately trying to avoid the monk. No words were spoken. The scene said it all. Tetsusaiga hovered above the stormy jewel. Its fanged form flashing around the old blade. Miroku leaned back against the wall, clutching his staff.
"Something is terribly wrong! The sword is trying to get to Inuyasha!"
"Let me out! What is wrong with you!" Kagome yelled, beating her fists aimlessly against the boulder blocking her escape. Whining in disgust, she swatted another spider web, her eyes still attempting to adjust to the pitch black insides of the old log. 'Stupid Inuyasha! How dare…' She growled, ducking her head as her prison shifted, the boulder becoming completely wedged into the exit. "Inuyasha!"
"Shut up, already!" He snapped, turning his back on the rock. 'At least, it'll keep those things out…' He took a step away and flinched.
"Inuyasha!"
'And keep her in…' "Sheesh."
The miko bit her lip and closed her eyes, the closed surroundings beginning to make her uneasy. 'When I get outta here, he's gonna…' A high pitched shriek startled her out of her thoughts. "They're back!" Moving quickly, she crawled to the opposite end, finding it to be blocked, as well. "Inuyasha, you idiot." She whispered, pressing her hands against the rough interior, her index finger sinking through a soft spot in the wood. Licking her lips, she positioned herself in front of the small hole. She did not like what she saw.
Inuyasha's eyes followed the circling birds overhead, blood seeping from the self-inflicted punctures in his hands. He licked away the excess blood from his fangs and took a step back.
"Inuyasha! Are you crazy!"
He rolled his eyes, looking over his shoulder. "Pipe down, idiot! Do you want them to find you!" Ignoring her rants, he looked back to the sky, singling out the biggest demon. The obvious ring leader. 'If I can take him, the rest'll run scared.'
"Inuyasha!" Sitting back, she never looked away from the hanyou, mentally cursing his stupidity. A swift movement in front of her peep hole resulted in her springing forward. Following the tiny, crimson river trailing from Inuyasha's self-inflicted wounds, her eyes landed on the three lapping tongues, savoring every drop of blood. Her stomach did cartwheels, but she knew what she had to do. "Inuyasha! Behind you!"
"Huh?" The hanyou twisted around, leaping just in time to evade the attacking gargoyle. "That was close." He gracefully touched down on a dead branch, wobbling slightly to test its strength. The three headed beast barked and growled below, its massive paws nearly knocking the old tree over. "What's the matter? Can't reach me?" Inuyasha teased, glancing over at the log. He had to keep them occupied. He laughed mockingly, crouching on the branch and clenching a fist to allow a few drops of blood to drip onto the beast's tongue. "Stupid dog."
Kagome realeased the breath she was unaware of holding, wiping away a few drops of sweat from her brow. "I'm gonna have a heart attack before we get outta here!" Inhaling a few calming breaths, she again leaned forward, covering her mouth when she found herself giggling. Inuyasha was prancing from branch to branch, teasing and tempting the demon below. She laughed as silently as she could for the first time since their arrival. That is, until she saw the dirt and rocks just outside the log begin to swirl and blow away. Falling flat on her back, the sharp beak plunged through the wood and stopped only centimeters above her left eye. "I…Inuyasha!"
"Kagome?" Turning his attention away from his current opponent, he targeted the large demon perched on top of the log, its beak drilled through the rotted wood. "Kagome!"
"Inuyasha! Help!" She rolled onto her side, its beak catching her back. She cried out before swiftly rolling onto the other side, avoiding another strike. "Inuyasha!"
"Hang on, Kagome!" The hanyou leaped from the tree, landing on the bird's back. "Don't move!" He screamed, pulling back on the demon's neck while drilling his foot through the log, revealing the girl inside. "Run! Get outta here!"
"Inuyasha! Look out!"
The hanyou whipped around, the charging gargoyle reflecting in his eyes.
