Chapter Five
Captured
It was once again evening, and they were all settling down. Nathan sat with his back against a tree, tracing his finger cautiously along the thin black band of steel that encased his neck. His collar... the thing that bound him to Moridin as surely as if he were leashed. He sighed and dropped his hand. He had separated from the group for a while, needing time to think. How would he get that bloody jewel without their notice? It was virtually impossible since somebody was always awake. He sighed and looked up as a figure approached.
It was Inuyasha.
Nathan almost snarled at his approach and his disruption of his thoughts, but he quickly stifled that and leaned back against the tree. His ears quirked at a relaxed angle. "Hello Inuyasha." He said casually, his lips twitching into the barest of smiles. "I can assure you, I will return, as soon as I'm done thinking."
The half demon spat at Nathan's feet and placed a hand on the hilt of the tetsaiga. "I didn't come here to badger you back, alright?" He stated with a light snarl, and shook his head with a sigh and eased to a crouch. "I... I'm sorry for my hostility... Nathan. And I'd like to make a new beginning." He extended his hand. "Inuyasha."
Nathan irked a brow and took the other's hand in his own. Briefly clasping it and then letting go. Lowering his voice. "They put you up to it... didn't they?" He asked, his eyes bright with amusement. He had heard voices before, possibly arguing, though he cared not to listen. Somebody always seemed to be arguing.
The look in Inuyasha's auburn gaze was frantic, before he pulled back. "Ofcourse not!" He snapped and moved to his feet with a "humph", muttering about Nathan's own hostility, which made the black haired figure chuckle and stand using the tree.
"Apologies. I didn't mean to offend." Nathan said quickly and inclined his head. His own black eyes gleaming with his hidden amusement as he stepped from the tree. "But we should be returning, no?" He paused, glancing at Inuyasha, as though asking his permission. Hey, he could be curtious if he wanted or needed to. Even old whitey hair didn't seem too bad anymore. Atleast he was getting tolerent.
Inuyasha gave him a hard cold stare before turning back to camp without giving Nathan a backward glance. His stance spoke of his disapproval of the situation, and his dislike to Nathan. His jaw was set with a firm stubborness when he returned to the ring of light created by the small camp fire.
Nathan fought the urge to laugh as he followed, then paused, looking up, his eyes searching the surroundings. Something was there... hesitating, he lifted his chin so he could test the air. The only smells that greeted him were the forestry, the dim scents of his companions, and the smell of smoke, and then something familiar tugged at his sences. He caught a strong wiff of something burning. His nose wrinkled, it almost smelled like burnt hair, but it was gone in an instant. With a shake of his head, Nathan chuckled. Just his imagination. Who knows, maybe somebody was pushed into the fire...
He approached the ring of light, sweeping his gaze across them all. Kagome appeared in a fit, and Inuyasha could barely be seen by human eyes from where he stood. Just outside the circle, his back to the flames. Miroku, Sango, and Shippou were watching them ernestly. With a sigh, Nathan edged closer to the fire and swept into a sitting position. His tail thumping doggedly against the ground. He could already picture what happened.
His nose wrinkled, and he saw Inuyasha tense, as once again, he smelt... burnt hair. He couldn't be imagining things now... He looked around at the others, but the scene still hadn't changed. He stood slowly and walked around the fire towards Inuyasha. Coming up beside him.
"You smell it too, huh?" Nathan asked in a bare whisper, knowing the other wouldn't have to strain hard to hear, but the other's wouldn't catch more beyond a faint whisp of noise.
"Smell what?" Inuyasha replied in similar tones, then his shoulders sagged and he glanced at Nathan. "Yea, I do." He muttered and looked back out into the night.
Shaking his head, Nathan looked about. He should know that smell, but he couldn't place it. He glanced back to Inuyasha, then over his shoulder at the others, then turned his back to them, once again searching the night. "I'll go scouting." He said stiffly, glancing to Inuyasha. "No doubt you don't trust me enough to stay here."
Inuyasha snorted. "I wouldn't trust you if I had my tetsaiga plunged through your heart."
Nathan couldn't hide his frown at that, but he stepped forward. "Well... you obviously have the more reliable defense. I'll go scout, alright?"
He recieved a grunt in reply from Inuyasha, and rolling his eyes, he took off in one of his flying leaps. He was trying to smooth things over, but it just wasn't working with that insufferable, blind with pride oaf.
He moved among the trees in quick blurred leaps. His gaze searching. He tried to follow the scent, but it was like trying to pick up water with a fist. You would have it, but when you tried to take it, it slipped out of reach. He had to rely on his sights, but he saw nothing. Pausing, he dropped down from a branch and landed, tilting his head curiously. Where could this scent be coming from?
Then the smell struck him so hard it dizzied him and he staggered, cupping a hand over his mouth and nose with a dry cough. Something came from behind, knocking him down, and his eyes widened, trying to pull away, but to do so he had to remove his hand from his mouth. He inhaled, and the scent burned his nostrils. With an outcry, he struggled fervently, but he was pinned firmly. He closed his eyes weakly, and then cried out thrice as loud as a set of powerful jaws clamped down on his shoulder.
He felt himself numbing, slipping away, the blackness invading his thoughts seemed very inviting compared to the pain that tore at his shoulder. He grit his teeth, trying to crawl forward when he felt claws dig into his back, but it resulted in nothing but clawing desperately at the ground. He heard a crack, and groaned loudly as pain overwhelmed him, and the darkness of unconciousness engulfed him and swept him away...
Inuyasha tensed when he heard faint cries in the distance. Tensing, he placed a hand on the hilt of the tetsaiga, looking around. Then the scent he had caught before overwhelmed him, and he staggered back, covering his nose and turning to see he wasn't the only one disturbed by the smell. Everybody was covering their noses.
He heard a branch snap, and his head whipped up in time to see a shadow leap forward. It was a wolf... an abnormally large wolf. He whipped out the tetsaiga in time to be knocked down, but the creature trampled right over him and darted forward towards the companions. Towards the one who was sitting specifically by themselves. Kagome.
With an outcry, Inuyasha threw himself forward at the creature, the tetsaiga swiping at the creature's back legs, but he missed completely. The creature looked like it was going to bowl right over Kagome, but it stopped sharply, skidding in a half circle so it faced Inuyasha. Snarling rather loudly.
The half demon froze in the act of standing. It had black eyes... Just like Nathan's. He lunged forward in a panic, but he heard Miroku shouting.
"Inuyasha! Kagome! Get out of the way!" The monk yelled, clawing the sacred beads away from his closed fist. "Hurry!" He cried out, drawing the creature's attention to himself, but only for a moment before it turned, and in one swift movement, it's jaws enveloped Kagome's upper arm.
The girl shrieked in over whelming pain as she struck out at the beast, and then she saw flames dance before her eyes. The creature erupted in flame, and they consumed her as well.
Inuyasha arrived at the spot just as they vanished. With a yelp, he fell to his knees. "KAGOME!" His voice rang out in fury as he slammed the tetsaiga into the ground, and drew his shaking hands away as it transformed back. Her shriek was still ringing in his ears. She was gone...
The figure paced the length of the room, laughing loudly in his triumph. Oh yes, he had plans for Nathan. He gazed to the motionless lump on the floor. Black hair splayed out like a darkened halo. He had his son, and he now waited for his second hunter to return with the wench. He would punish Nathan, and take what he wanted.
He laughed again as he motioned his servants to take Nathan away, and prepare for what was to come...
