Ok, onto the next part! I didn't think I'd get reviews that quickly, and even though there's only two, they were both positive! Right, well, enough of my blabbering, let us continue…
Chapter 2: Kanaye's Trap
Kagome woke up with InuYasha's haori over her. She knew from that moment that something was wrong. She made a move to stand up, but heard a little voice stop her.
"Kagome, don't move, please!" Shippo's voice cried out. Kagome paused to look at the little Kitsune, tugging at her skirt.
"InuYasha told me to keep you here, that I shouldn't let you go anywhere." He continued, looking pleadingly up at Kagome's face for her to stay.
Kagome crouched down to Shippo's level, and putting one hand on his shoulder asked, "Where has everyone else gone to?"
Shippo looked away, a little nervously. "Um…", he started, and taking a gulp said, "Sango thought she saw Kohaku and Kikyo in the forest before…and…y'know InuYasha…he went after her…"
Kagome tried to ignore the small pang in her heart at Kikyo's name, and Shippo, noticing Kagome's silence, gave her a small bundle of food wrapped in leaves. "You must be hungry, have breakfast, I cooked it myself!" he said, proud of himself.
Kagome smiled and opened the food bundle, revealing three cooked fish and a small batch of berries. "Thank you Shippo, you caught these yourself?"
"Mhmm, just this morning, and I found the berries over by the river." said Shippo happily. Kagome took a bite out of her fish, not realizing how hungry she actually was. She was half-way through, when she sensed something.
Kagome stood up, staring into a clump of trees. There was something there, she could feel it. She took out an arrow and strung it onto her bow. She took a few steps forward, ignoring Shippo's cries.
"Kagome, where are you going?" he squeaked, running to her side. She motioned for Shippo to be quiet. "There's something there, I can feel it…" she said. She pulled back…and let go.
Suddenly something reared up out of the bushes. It was like a large snake-like creature, with the top half of a horse, and dragon-like fiery eyes. It circled Kagome and Shippo, sending gusts of wind blowing around them. It gave a loud growl, and lunged at them, showing a set of razor sharp teeth.
Kagome grabbed another of her arrows and quickly shot it at the creature. The arrow flew through the air, piercing the demon squarly in the chest. But the demon didn't falter. It actually laughed. Suddenly it shrunk, and changed it's form. Kagome gasped.
Kanaye stood before her, his eyes laughing and full of malice. "I guess my trick worked well, conjuring up a fake Kikyo and Kohaku to lure your friends away from you. InuYasha is a fool, running from you the second he sees Kikyo-"
He was cut of by a flying arrow, moving at such force and speed that only because Kanaye quickly pulled out his spear and create a shield was he able to save himself. He smiled evilly.
"Touched a nerve, did I?" he said, smirking. Kagome pulled out another arrow, full of fiery anger. "Don't let it get to you." a voice said in her head. "It will only break your concentration." Kagome aimed at Kanaye's spear and fired. The arrow flew like a rocket, taking all her fury with it. Kanaye moved his spear to block it, but the arrow pushed against it's force field with all it's strength.
Kanaye made a move, and send the arrow flying back. Kagome fell to the ground to avoid the returned arrow. She dug her nails into the earth, and quickly got up again. The laughter in Kanaye's eyes was gone, replaced by a dark hatred.
"I let you escape me once, it won't happen again." he hissed, grabbing his spear firmly. He set the end of the spear towards Kagome, and narrowing his eyes, swiped it in the air, sending a row of dark, fiery daggers at them. Kagome grabbed Shippo and hid under InuYasha's haori, as the daggers formed in a circle around them, making a sphere of fire around them. Kagome shut her eyes, the heat too much. She could feel someone enter the circle. She forced to open her eyes, and saw Kanaye. He was laughing again, staring down at her. She could feel his presence overwhelm her, make her blind.
"You're purity cannot stand the evil I bring, so it blinds your soul, drains your powers of all hope. You have nothing left."
Kagome forced herself to look up at him, and open her eyes. The heat burned her skin, but she did not flinch. She tried to stand up, but Kanaye was right, his presence had made her weak. She could feel someone hugging her, crying, saying, "Kagome, please get up, please move, we can't stay here!" Shippo's voice cried out to her from the darkness.
Kagome couldn't move, couldn't talk back. Kanaye moved closer to her, about to say something when suddenly he stopped. Kagome closed her eyes, almost entirely exhausted at her efforts. "Curse you woman, you still have enough strength to try and purify the poisoned Shikon no Tama. We'll see if you can still do that after I've taken all your powers!"
Kagome felt something bite her in the arm. She opened her eyes wide and tried to cry out, but then she fell to black.