CHAPTER FOUR
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"The Sacred Jewel?" the old priestess said. She frowned, deepening the deep lines in her wrinkled face.
"Yes, we're looking for pieces of it," Kagome said. "Have you heard of any unusual demons in the area? Like ones that are behaving oddly?"
"I'm afraid not, dear," the old priestess said ruefully. "But then, I'm a very old woman, and I don't get to leave my hut very often. My bones don't do well in the damp, you see."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Kagome said sympathetically.
The two of them chatted amiably for awhile, and once the topics strayed from jewel shards, Inuyasha lost interest. He stretched, then slumped down on a tree stump and stared off into space. He felt a little tired and depressed. Why did I even bother coming if there ain't any demons to fight? he thought wearily.
Then someone stepped around the corner, clutching an enormous, empty basket. Inuyasha sat up, suddenly noticing her. It was the girl that Inuyasha had rescued earlier that day.
"Ah, Yukiyo," the old priestess said fondly. "This is Kagome and Inuyasha. They will be staying in our village for awhile."
Kagome glanced over at Yukiyo. The apprentice was a couple years younger than she was, and maybe a few inches shorter. She was pretty, but Kagome had the feeling that when she was done growing, she would be even prettier. Her large dark eyes immediately went to Inuyasha, and she gave a muffled little gasp.
"Hey," Inuyasha said, sitting up straighter. "It's you."
Yukiyo flushed slightly.
"Eh? What is it?" the old priestess said. "Oh, now I remember. This must be the young man who saved Yukiyo from some ruffians in the woods. She told me about that after it happened..."
"Yup, that's Inuyasha," Kagome said.
Yukiyo's eyes followed Kagome's hand, to where it was resting on Inuyasha's shoulder. It was the sort of unconsciously intimate thing that young lovers in her village did, when they were around other people, and had been in love for a long time. Yukiyo felt her heart start to fall.
"You make me sound like some sort of travellin' do-gooder," Inuyasha growled. But he didn't shrug off Kagome's hand.
"I know you don't wanna be one, but sometimes it just happens," Kagome said half-teasingly.
"Sure. What is it?" Inuyasha said gruffly.
"Could you go tell Miroku and Sango where we're staying?" Kagome said. "I'm going to stay with Lady Aiko to help her out."
"I-I could come with you," Yukiyo burst out. Then she blushed deeply. "It's the least I can do... after this morning." She turned to Aiko. "That is... if it's allowed."
Aiko chuckled softly. "I would never keep you from repaying a debt, Yukiyo. So, if this young man has no objections, you may go."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Why not?" he said, standing up. "Let's go."
Yukiyo could feel her heart pounding as she set down her basket and walked quickly after Inuyasha. He was already striding down the dusty road, although he slowed down a little for her. "You better walk a little faster," he said gruffly. "Or else I'll end up leaving you way behind."
"Yes, of course," Yukiyo said breathlessly. She glanced back over her shoulder, at the girl standing beside Aiko. A little hard knot formed inside her chest, making it hard to speak. "Ah... was... was that... your wife?" she stammered.
"What? Huh?" Inuyasha said. He glanced back -- and then a faint flush came over his face. "Kagome? No! She ain't my wife. We aren't even, um, together." He quickly looked away.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I always make mistakes like that," Yukiyo said, trying not to sound too concerned. But inside her, the little knot suddenly vanished. She glanced over at the half-demon. His long, shaggy silver hair was shining in the sunlight, and he was standing up straight and tall, staring off into the distance with piercing eyes the color of honey.
Yukiyo's breath caught at the sight of him. She felt dizzy and lightheaded -- but in a good way.
"You'd better hurry up," Inuyasha said suddenly. "Why're you standing there?"
"I'm sorry!" Yukiyo ran after him, and Inuyasha waited for her.
TO BE CONTINUED
.
"The Sacred Jewel?" the old priestess said. She frowned, deepening the deep lines in her wrinkled face.
"Yes, we're looking for pieces of it," Kagome said. "Have you heard of any unusual demons in the area? Like ones that are behaving oddly?"
"I'm afraid not, dear," the old priestess said ruefully. "But then, I'm a very old woman, and I don't get to leave my hut very often. My bones don't do well in the damp, you see."
"Oh, I'm sorry," Kagome said sympathetically.
The two of them chatted amiably for awhile, and once the topics strayed from jewel shards, Inuyasha lost interest. He stretched, then slumped down on a tree stump and stared off into space. He felt a little tired and depressed. Why did I even bother coming if there ain't any demons to fight? he thought wearily.
Then someone stepped around the corner, clutching an enormous, empty basket. Inuyasha sat up, suddenly noticing her. It was the girl that Inuyasha had rescued earlier that day.
"Ah, Yukiyo," the old priestess said fondly. "This is Kagome and Inuyasha. They will be staying in our village for awhile."
Kagome glanced over at Yukiyo. The apprentice was a couple years younger than she was, and maybe a few inches shorter. She was pretty, but Kagome had the feeling that when she was done growing, she would be even prettier. Her large dark eyes immediately went to Inuyasha, and she gave a muffled little gasp.
"Hey," Inuyasha said, sitting up straighter. "It's you."
Yukiyo flushed slightly.
"Eh? What is it?" the old priestess said. "Oh, now I remember. This must be the young man who saved Yukiyo from some ruffians in the woods. She told me about that after it happened..."
"Yup, that's Inuyasha," Kagome said.
Yukiyo's eyes followed Kagome's hand, to where it was resting on Inuyasha's shoulder. It was the sort of unconsciously intimate thing that young lovers in her village did, when they were around other people, and had been in love for a long time. Yukiyo felt her heart start to fall.
"You make me sound like some sort of travellin' do-gooder," Inuyasha growled. But he didn't shrug off Kagome's hand.
"I know you don't wanna be one, but sometimes it just happens," Kagome said half-teasingly.
"Sure. What is it?" Inuyasha said gruffly.
"Could you go tell Miroku and Sango where we're staying?" Kagome said. "I'm going to stay with Lady Aiko to help her out."
"I-I could come with you," Yukiyo burst out. Then she blushed deeply. "It's the least I can do... after this morning." She turned to Aiko. "That is... if it's allowed."
Aiko chuckled softly. "I would never keep you from repaying a debt, Yukiyo. So, if this young man has no objections, you may go."
Inuyasha shrugged. "Why not?" he said, standing up. "Let's go."
Yukiyo could feel her heart pounding as she set down her basket and walked quickly after Inuyasha. He was already striding down the dusty road, although he slowed down a little for her. "You better walk a little faster," he said gruffly. "Or else I'll end up leaving you way behind."
"Yes, of course," Yukiyo said breathlessly. She glanced back over her shoulder, at the girl standing beside Aiko. A little hard knot formed inside her chest, making it hard to speak. "Ah... was... was that... your wife?" she stammered.
"What? Huh?" Inuyasha said. He glanced back -- and then a faint flush came over his face. "Kagome? No! She ain't my wife. We aren't even, um, together." He quickly looked away.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I always make mistakes like that," Yukiyo said, trying not to sound too concerned. But inside her, the little knot suddenly vanished. She glanced over at the half-demon. His long, shaggy silver hair was shining in the sunlight, and he was standing up straight and tall, staring off into the distance with piercing eyes the color of honey.
Yukiyo's breath caught at the sight of him. She felt dizzy and lightheaded -- but in a good way.
"You'd better hurry up," Inuyasha said suddenly. "Why're you standing there?"
"I'm sorry!" Yukiyo ran after him, and Inuyasha waited for her.
TO BE CONTINUED