Chapter Four: My Enemy's Enemy

Tetsusaiga was drawn without hesitation. "If you've hurt Kagome, I will kill you." He could the familiar breathing on the other side of the wall, short and fast. Shippou clawed at the wall, trying to dig through and whining.

Eki only laughed, two of his four eyes following Inuyasha. "Touchy, touchy…"

Inuyasha seemed to have reverted to a one-track mind, focused only on getting Kagome out. The Tetsusaiga was raised again, much to the amusement of the opposing youkai.

"Inuyasha! Don't be foolish! If you destroy that wall, the whole tunnel could come down on top of us." Once again, Miroku was the voice of reason.

"Well then, I suppose we'll just have to get rid of this little disturbance first." Sango smiled slyly at him, but the lizard wouldn't flinch. Feeling somewhat torn by the sound of the girl so desperate only inches away, Inuyasha jumped into the forming fray.

Hiraikotsu shot out, flying straight for the youkai. A tail came to meet it, whipping it into the ground. Hiraikotsu was left a smoking skeleton of its former self, acid still chewing through its core. Miroku's air rip was no more successful, at the moment of its opening, a huge glob of poison was launched into it. The monk dropped to the floor of the cavern, writhing with pain.

Ferocious amber eyes were locked on the youkai, the Tetsusaiga feeling hot and light in his grasp. Few options seemed available to him- any assault might send the cave crashing down on top of the one he was trying to save. Inuyasha finally decided on the quickest course of action. He charged Eki, swinging carefully. The creature simply shifted at the moment Inuyasha's sword had fallen, forcing him to rush past. Then, with a deadly grace, another tail launched, striking the hanyou in the blink of an eye.

The howl from the other side of the wall made Kagome's heart stop again. She silenced, listening. "Inuyasha?" Her voice barely matched a whisper. Everything seemed to cease. A smell she vaguely recognized floated down the corridor somehow. A small realization told her to find the hole it came from, but another part didn't want to see what that scent entailed… the scent of burnt flesh. "Inuyasha…" With a small sob, Kagome collapsed into the hold of darkness, once more trapped in the horrible sleeping world.

Inuyasha stopped, leaning against the wall for support as the pain in his back made him dizzy. The tail wrapped around his throat, prompting a yell from Sango. Inuyasha struggled under the twin burning and suffocation, looking for anything to get free. Tetsusaiga lay only a few inches from his foot, which he found slowly lifting from the ground. Choking, he kicked out fast enough to Eki, who released him in his surprise.

In a heartbeat, the legendary fang swung once more. This time, it hit its mark. The creature screamed as Tetsusaiga struck its heel, blue-black blood pooling at its feet. Cursing and screeching echoed down the hall as Eki burrowed into the second network of tunnels beneath them. Inuyasha drug himself to the hole, but found nothing left. "We have to follow him." He demanded.

Sango shook her head. "Not now… if we went down there, we'd probably just get lost, then we'd be in no condition to find, much less save Kagome-chan."

"Kagome! …Kagome!" His calls were met by silence. The hanyou's blade crashed as it hit the floor in defeat. Apart from that, he could barely hold himself up, leaning on the nearest wall for support. "D…amn!" He muttered miserably to himself between shaky breaths. Miroku limped over, supported by Sango. They leaned down to where the hanyou lay. He rolled onto his stomach, surrendering to the ill-fated conditions. Miroku took the opportunity to peel back the haori and check his injuries.

The pair drew back slightly. The marks were all raised and raw, a slightly distorted image of the lizard youkai's tail. Inuyasha slithered away from the prying eyes- shoulders slumped and heart heavy. I've failed you again… Kagome…

The hanyou limped back to the village, memorizing every branch for when he returned to disembowel the insolent youkai. The pain was immense, though he wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that he couldn't find the moon in the early evening sky. It was useless. He would be forced to go into hiding again all night, unable to return again until morning.

"Well, well. What do we have here? A little lost puppy?" A confident voice rained down on him like stones. Inuyasha sighed harshly, in the worst of moods for Kouga.

The wolf demon's eyes ran quickly through the group, weeding out the undesirables. "Hey… where's my woman?" He demanded sharply.

"In the village." Inuyasha snapped a reply to Kouga's question before the others could answer.

"Heh. Oh, really?" Kouga looked menacingly down, daring him to lie. "Because I heard differently. I came to make sure it was only rumor… and that you hadn't actually been careless enough to-"

"That's it!" Inuyasha finished the conversation.

Kouga was not so easily put off. Sliding easily out of the tree, he landed directly in front of the disgruntled hanyou. Inuyasha took a single swipe at his old rival, not close to catching the wolf. Kouga examined a bit closer, just out of Inuyasha's reach. The youkai was unforgiving. "Where is she?" He hissed dangerously.

Inuyasha's hair bristled, golden eyes gleaming dangerously, daring Kouga to press his luck. The air took on an obvious chill. "Go crawl back in the hole you came out of, wimpy wolf." His voice was little more civilized than a snarl.

The moment Inuyasha had retreated into the bushes, Miroku explained the situation to Kouga, who would not be put off until he received a straight answer. "We will lead you to the demon's lair and allow you to take his shard if you assist us in rescuing her." The monk dealt softly.

"Well, what are we all still doing here?" Kouga demanded in response.

"What are you doing…?" The third voice of the once-hanyou was like the sound of nails against a chalkboard. He was suddenly visible, looking murderously at Miroku.

"Aw, looking as useless as you usually are, doggy?" Kouga teased from where he sat.

The dangerous gaze turned to the wolf. "That's none of your business… And let me make one thing clear, wimpy wolf… We don't need your help."

"Sure you don't." Kouga smirked at the human Inuyasha. "Anyway, I've been hunting that demon for his shard, but saving my mate will be an added bonus… and being so kind, I'll let the insolent puppy think he's helping."

He narrowly dodged a large rock that Inuyasha threw at his head.

"My, aren't they just the picture-perfect allies?" Sango shook her head from her position beside the monk.

"They'll have to do better than that if Kagome-sama is to have any chance." Miroku rolled his eyes, shoulders slumping. This wasn't about to get any easier.

It was raining… the cold, wet rain that could freeze even the toughest hides. The woods were damp, dark and drawn out of silence only by the patter of rain on the thick foliage. The glade opened only enough to fit the decrepit shrine, leaves twisting in undisturbed growth over the it's walls. The group laid in restless slumber within, shadowed by the twisting vines. The once hanyou's eyes fluttered open again as he wondered if he had five minutes of undisturbed sleep this night. Through the makeshift bandaging and herbs, he was about as sore as he'd ever been, and his human form wasn't at all helping. Nor was the fact that he didn't trust Kouga with a blink of distraction.

This part of the forest he wasn't as familiar with, and it was full of strange sounds and chokingly humid. But he would not return to the village without Kagome. Already he had broken a promise. He said he'd never leave her again, he said he'd protect her. An acute desire to shatter something was overridden after a moment, giving way only to a wave of frustration.

He could see Kouga clearly silhouetted in the doorway, tapping the frame unconsciously. "Go to sleep in case I need you tomorrow, wimpy wolf." His irritable voiced sounded unfamiliar to himself in his bleary state. Kouga huffed defiantly, staring up at the black sky. Inuyasha stared followed his gaze. I can't stand sitting around here… but I can't do anything now… Just be careful Kagome… I'll find you…

A moment passed in silence as they brooded.

"She'll be alright." Kouga said gruffly, a comfort to both of them. "She can take care of herself, no matter how much we want to protect her." Though slightly confused by Kouga's sudden burst of psychology, his words did calm Inuyasha. For once, he found himself hoping that the wolf was right.

"Now, you'll stay put until I return for you, won't you? Humans are such a bother." He went on, leaving a waking Kagome wishing he would stop. "But you look especially tasty, so you'll wait until I can really enjoy you…"

"Now, sleep well tonight, my pet." Her exhausted body gave into natural sleep, but dreams were troubled—full of the possibilities of death involved in her rescue. Hour after hour, she woke up drenched in cold sweat or crying over a dream she could scarcely remember. She was afraid to sleep, and yet she could not remain awake. She didn't know when morning was, blackness being the only constant. So she slipped between sleep and waking, letting the lines between her nightmares and reality blur until it didn't matter any more.

Sleep remained elusive still to Inuyasha. Strategies played themselves out in his mind a thousand times, not a single one without sacrifice. The ever-vigilant tails swayed, striking him or Sango or Miroku… The shrine itself seemed blisteringly hot as he sat, wondering if a single possibility could leave everyone unscathed. After hours of losing himself in thought, he could sit no longer. He stumbled sleepily past Kouga who snorted in his sleep. A few minutes of walking found him at a swiftly running underground stream, opened by a huge gash in the ground.

He dropped his face into the icy water, dragging his long black hair downstream. Perhaps sometimes getting wet was a necessary evil… Lifting his head, he shook, spraying water in all directions. He followed the stream as far as he could hear it, to a more familiar part of the forest.

The cool wood welcomed him once more, bidding him forget the dreams that plagued his mind. It was tempting now, but the force drawing him in was mild, controlled. It beckoned him forward, and though he already knew who would lie in wait, he took a step through the barrier.

The leaves glowed an eerie color in the midnight hours, darkness hovering nearby to try to claim the light. A mist gathered around his human feet, wrapping them in more uncanny light. His senses dull, he couldn't quite know where she was and the thought frustrated him to no ends. The smoky mist rose to his face again, and he caught a vague scent of something.

Kikyo… where are you?

He walked into her clearing, looking straight into those darkened eyes. Kikyo showed him no expression, barely recognition. "She's gone, isn't she?" The woman stated her fact, more than asked him of the situation. Her voice was blank, but undertones almost suggested a sadly whispered death notice.

He looked her over suspiciously as he spoke. "What do you know about it?"

"Word travels quickly, you know, Inuyasha."

"Where is she?" He demanded yet again, growing more frustrated with the noncommittal ambiguities of his former lover.

"If only I knew…" She spoke in a sharper tone, barely perceptible to all but the hanyou's ears. "But does it matter? Come, we can leave this all behind us."

Kikyo took a step forward, reaching for him. He looked at her, frustrated again for a moment. She simply didn't… couldn't understand. He needed to do this. He needed to be sure that Kagome was safe, that she was alright. He couldn't leave now, couldn't let her die. The thought was physically painful… Why? He'd never cared before… Silencing his thoughts, he merely shook his head, then turned to go. She didn't stop him, only whispered from far away. "Inuyasha…"

"Kikyo…" He turned back to talk a moment more, but the forest had reclaimed her again.

Trudging back to camp, the images raced in his head. A thousand thoughts were interrupted by a soft mew. Looking down, he was met by the glittering black eyes of Kirara. The youkai rubbed against his leg affectionately. Reaching down, he gently scratched her behind the ears. Sitting once more in the back of the shadowed shrine, the fire cat crawled into his lap… and sleep came at last.