Disclaimer - I don't own InuYasha...gosh make me say it over, and over you son of a monkeys uncle! Joking...hopefully

Caged

Chapter Twenty One

Wings Bound Together

Why did I feel wet? My eyes opened squinting at the glare of the sun that was directly above me. However I looked up to see the sobbing fox demon above me. "Shippo...what's wrong?" I questioned as he looked towards me before dropping me, and backing up in shock.

"Kagome?" The teen asked as he watched me closely. Who the hell was I suppose to be? InuYasha gone girl? He just drops me in this mud...red mud...red...mud? Crying out I leapt up away from the mess. Why the hell was I laying in that? I looked down upon my own clothing seeing it coated with mud.

My mind zapped into working mode I remembered Sesshomaru's attack. Yet, why didn't my stomach hurt? Lifting my shirt up a bit I watched as a few herbs...flowers...weeds fall from my shirt onto the ground. What the hell? Who was the little perverted idiot that thought this was funny? Is Miroku over here? Looking left to right, I decided that he was no where near...then who?

"I'm sorry, you were hurt, and I didn't know what to do. So I found some herbs...I think," Shippo said worriedly as he watched her. "Then Sesshomaru came, and I thought he killed you. I thought you were dead. I thought you left me again,"Shippo stated before latching onto me his head on my shoulder as his hands circled me.

Soothing his hair I just smiled at my little cub. "Come on lets get back," I whispered as I began to walk away dragging the boy with me. InuYasha would be here soon his scent was coming up fast. Probably to see if any of us are dead...not yet.

As we began to walk back I looked over to him as he now walked beside me. He was just as tall as me...actually a bit taller. I shoved him to the side gently laughing, "Its not fair I can't call you little one anymore."

"Hey, its not my fault that your short," Shippo said laughing as I took a side step away from him crossing my arms in front of me. Looking back towards him however I gripped his arm stopping him as I pulled his chin up a bit just noticing the forming bruises.

."The next time we see him, I will get back at him for hurting you," I whispered softly as I pulled my hand from his chin, and patted him on the head before we began to walk again.

In all honesty, I did not want to ever see Sesshomaru. He seemed not to understand the need of personal space. He reached my personal bubble, and popped it! Just the thought of the days events sent me off edge. My eyes continued to look at all directions.

However, I forgot one annoying detail. The foliage above began to rustle as I stopped snarling. The red blur never had a chance as I pinned him to the tree claws ready to pierce him any moment.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING,"the so called red blur screamed as I looked up to see the rather pissed hanyou.

"InuYasha?" I questioned but before I knew what hit me he pushed me away making me tumble. Another bad thing that happened due to that was my grip on him never gave way as he too was pulled down as we rolled next to Shippo's feet as he began to walk away. "Get a hut!"

"Shippo!" I cried out pulling away from InuYasha as I stood up. "You've been spending a bit to much time with Miroku."

Nasty little monk always having to ruin my cub's once innocent mind. Looking back towards InuYasha I sighed heavily as he began to sniff around. "Why the hell do you smell like Sesshomaru?"

I merely ignored him as he continued his babble about how I was sneaking of to see his disowned brother. As we continued towards the village once again I seemed in my own world as I was being lectured.

Why would he call him his bother if he disowned him? That wasn't very smart now was it. I looked up towards the sky blankly. When would he shut up? I know it was rude to ignore him like this, but truly how annoying could one get? He just kept going.

Before I was taken I would have melted at the thought of him actually caring about me. Now...now that I am more mature I realize that it is just blunt jealously. Not just that, but also irritating as hell. Truly I matured those ten years, why didn't he?

Shippo walked next to me also looking up at the clouds. InuYasha was ahead of us as he grumbled, and yelled. His hands went in all different directions as he continued to speak. His words, however, were not even being listened to by...anyone!

I don't know how many times I wanted to point out that fact to him. Yet, I kept it to myself. Let him think what he wanted. I truly did not car at that moment. Yes, he acts jealous, and angry at me now, but if I said that he would go into denial.

What would he have done if I would have done the same thing to him when he went to see Kikyo, purposely? He would have yelled, accused, cursed, and gone to the tree to sulk.

If I would do that to him he would go into all this dramatic conversation where I leave hurt. I knew it well now. It took me a while, but now I understand this man perfectly. Yet, no matter what I can't help, but to continue to love him.

Its like the old saying the Kaede had once said, that the first love is like a stab to the heart forever scaring those memories within them.

It was true. I could never hate InuYasha. I knew it, I always have since I first fell for him. I had no hope. Thrown into this entire love thing with no help what so ever. I had no guidelines to follow, no rules I just knew that I could never leave him. I had to be with him.

Even now, I may have grown more distant from him, but still I feel the memories of him within my mind. It made me furious beyond belief, but what could I do? Its not like I have any say in the matter...sadly enough. It was fate, and fate was playing a cruel game with me as it was.

The only question was, what was next? Would I be swallowed by a huge whale? Smashed by a falling meteor? Clawed to death by a rat demon? I mean truly what else could happen?

I was told that life was a ladder, each step was either difficult situation brought us higher upon the ladder. All I gotta say about that is that my later is NEVER ENDING! I mean, seriously, I have had bad thing after bad thing happen to me! Karma was a cruel, and unrighteous thing to me!

I pushed back a few strands of my hair, and by doing so yanking myself from thoughts. I elbowed Shippo next to me motioning for silence. He nodded as we began to veer off of course. Once we were far enough we both took off running. We had gotten away! It truly was amazing. I wonder how long it would take for him to realize we were gone.

Yet, after a few hours of walking I realized one thing. I really don't do well on trails. Mostly because we had passed the same spot around three times. Yes, I had gotten us lost. The only way to save ourselves was to...continue walking. I mean, could we truly get any more lost? Was it possible? I doubted it.

We were to far from the village to be able to smell the smoke, and even to far from InuYasha to catch his scent in the breeze. I bet he still didn't know we were gone.

It couldn't get any worse. Unless it starting raining. Which it didn't thankfully. We were now hopelessly lost, and Shippo continued to poke at my arm announcing that little fact every four minutes and thirty seven seconds. How did I know that? I had been counting the seconds. THAT WAS HOW BORED I WAS! Counting damn seconds.

I shook my head as I began to hear singing. "Finally, I think we have found a village," I stated happily as I grabbed Shippo's hand tugging him along with me.

Yet, what I reached was not a village. It was a meadow with a little girl dancing around in the middle of it. Not just any little girl, Rin.

The little girl looked up as flowers laced her hair. Yet another one of her adorable toothy smiles filled her lips as she raced towards me. Grabbing my hand she began to pull me into the field.

A scary fact was that Rin was never with out Jaken, nor Sesshomaru. Or when she was they weren't to far away.

I couldn't just leave her. Damn that puppy dog look! She tugged at my arm asking me silently to sit as I did so. Shippo stayed where he was gawking at the both of us.

Before I could move she began to lace flowers within my own hair. I panicked as I tried to pull away, but once again she looked up at me.

"Rin wants to put flowers in your hair. Why won't you let Rin do so?" She asked her lower lip trembling. I sighed. I was trapped, no way out, cornered!

I slumped forward leaning my elbows on my knees, and my head on my hands. "Do as you wish," I mumbled. I had no other choice. She had won. A small little human girl had won. What more could I do?

Once she had thought she had enough in my hair she began to giggle wildly. Shippo now sat beside her snickering also. I could only glare. What was it? That's when I felt it.

A tickled sensation a soft tiny little touches. A caterpillar began to crawl down my forehead. I did what any other woman would have done.

I freaked out! I flew onto my back swiping at it. Yes, I was frightened by that stupid little thing! A worm the size of my pinky scared me! I admit it, and if I am lying may lightening fry my eye out! I continued to miss as Rin tried to stop my arm.

"Don't hurt Rin's friend please,"she whined pathetically as she looked up at me with wide watery eyes. I sighed as I fell back into the grass, and flowers. "Fine, I'll just let it crawl all over me," I muttered as I blew at the small creature. Seeming happy she fell back next to me followed by Shippo as we all stared above watching the various creatures flying above.

"So this is Rin? And she is Sesshomaru's ward?" Shippo asked as he turned his head looking towards me.

"Yes, that is about right," I mumbled as I watched the caterpillar crawl up my nose. Wiggling it slightly I sighed uncomfortably. I must admit it, I hated the small bug. I am not a real bug fan. Not even close, especially a fuzzy bug. Those are even more creepier. Now because of Rin I had to stay still so I did not disturb the bug as much as it was disturbing me.

However, I was thrown from my thoughts as a rather strong looking hand delicately took the caterpillar within its deadly claws pulling it from my nose. I brought my eyes upon the man that scared me a hell of a lot more then any squiggly line that moved. I stared above at Sesshomaru.

Shippo snarled at the Inuyoukai as he pulled himself up. I was trapped. My silver eyes glued to his gold ones.

Rin brought herself up too. She smacked Shippo's nose, "Don't growl at Lord Sesshomaru!"

Shippo glared at the girl, "I can growl at anyone I damn well please!"

That knocked me out of my thoughts as I pulled myself up glaring at the fox. "Shippo watch your tongue! You have been hanging around InuYasha to much," I snapped quieting both of them.

I could feel his eyes on me. It was unnerving as I slowly brought mine up to his. "Why are here?" I asked stupidly. Damn it! I felt like slapping myself across the face. What a stupid question. No doubt he would have something rude to snap back, and that he did.

"I find that none of your buisness, yet quite obvious. The same question could be put to good use by being asked to you instead of by you," he stated.

I blinked once...twice...oh. Well that certainly was snapped back...I think. Was he asking me the same question? I wasn't really sure. So I ignored his words altogether. Instead I grabbed Shippo's arm as I began to walk away. "Bye Rin, we should be leaving," I said smiling up at the now rather crestfallen girl.

Sesshomaru smirked...I think his lips twitched upward would be more precise. He could sense my fear, I could tell.

I wanted to pound my fist into his smirking face. Gods I wanted to so badly. He had hurt my cub! But by doing so I would be putting Rin, and Shippo in danger. It would have to wait for another day.

"Bye bye," the girl whispered waving a bit. Yet, as I began to walk away a hand captured my upper arm too. I looked back one again locking my eyes with molten gold. I was trapped once again. Would I be forced to fight...or something worse? What had I gotten myself into this time?

((Thank you Chikara-Yuy, Stephanie, Sheenachi, Misviscious, Inuy for you reviews:D

LoL, I know that was a mean cliffy. I am a mean person, what can I say? J/k...I think. Thank you all for all the reviews! You people are all good guessers! Also, Kagome and Sesshomaru are not as mad, angry, frustrated, killing rage as I was originally going to do. Another war is soon to begin once again between the two. Laughs Evilly Soon, very soon.

Oh my goodness, I forgot to submit this! I thought I did. Crap. Thank you Inuy after I got your review I went to check up on my story, and almost had a heart attack. I was almost positive I had entered this chapter. Crapolla! Okay now I want a poll to begin. It is for the ending of this soon to be sequal, who should she end up with? InuYasha? Or Sesshomaru? Well till next chapter!))

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