Wounded
Silence. Nothing but death. The black trees were all bare. The grey dirt was covered with the bones of once living animals. The air was filled with the scent of death and miasma. The purple air clouded their eyes. The two demons continued to climb the hill of death, and beyond that to the mountain where Naraku was. They covered their mouths when the miasma became thicker. A slight breeze flew over the hill, blowing the ashes of the forest around them. After about another hour of walking, they reached the mountain and began climbing.
Fierce winds bombarded the two demons as they climbed. Soon, they began to grow short of breath, the air becoming thin the farther up they climbed. The air also grew colder the higher they went but they continued on. They knew Naraku was at the peak of the mountain, his barrier could clearly be seen. It rested on the small plateau near the peak. Naraku obviously thought that the weather extremes and the lack of air would keep his enemies at bay but he was wrong. He was fatally wrong.
They continued to climb, even when the rocks disappeared, covered by snow and ice. They dug through the freezing cold snow with their bare hands, searching for anything to pull them forward. Karappo's hand slipped, the rock she had grabbed was covered with ice. She then began to fall, a fading black dot against the white snow. SesshoMaru caught her with his tail and pulled her back to him. He told her to hang on to him. He would carry her to the top. She gave him as frozen smile as she latched her arms, legs and tail to his muscular frame, falling unconscious from exhaustion, lack of air and the cold.
SesshoMaru wrapped his tail around Karappo's shivering body as he continued to climb. He knew he had to make it, if not for him, for her. She deserved to get revenge for what Naraku had done to her. She deserved to see this journey to the end. She needed to complete the jewel and destroy it. He, on the other hand, was merely there to make sure she reached the top. To make sure she survived the climb. Even if he died, he would make sure she lived to see Naraku die.
SesshoMaru climbed for a few more hours until he reached the plateau. He hoisted himself and Karappo on to the snow covered ground. He placed her in the snow. It was then he noticed that she was half frozen. Thinking quickly, he wrapped her body in his tail and carried her to the barrier only to find it destroyed. He thought a moment, trying to figure out who could have done it since Inuyasha was dead. Then, he felt her shift. He looked down to see her looking back at him. He removed his tail and helped her to stand. They stood in shock together, both trying to solve the mystery. They both snapped out of their thoughts when they heard an explosion come from the dark palace. They looked to each other before they ran into the court yard and joined the battle already in progress.